NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The VA Clinics in the North Bay are all reported to be open and fully operational in the wake of the region’s wildland fires.
The clinics include those in Santa Rosa, Clearlake, Ukiah and Eureka.
VA shuttles will run only between the San Francisco VA Medical Center and Santa Rosa on Oct. 18. VA shuttles will not travel north of Santa Rosa.
San Francisco VA staff has been working diligently to contact veterans in affected areas by phone to make sure they are safe and have everything they need.
Staff have contacted more than 1,900 veterans so far, and they are continuing their efforts this week.
They reported that at least 50 veterans and 14 VA staff members have lost their homes in these fires. This number is likely to grow.
Mental health staff have been at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds and Napa Valley College to provide support and resources to veterans in need.
Social work staff have been traveling to evacuation sites and community centers to meet with veterans and connect them with services and resources they need. These efforts will be ongoing as the community recovers from the North Bay Fires.
Veterans who are unable to reach a clinic or who have fire-related symptoms are urged to contact Telephone Linked Care at 800-733-0502.
Text your zip code to 888777 for text updates on evacuation orders and road closures in your area. 511.org also provides up to date road condition info on all of the Bay Area (including up to Eureka).
NORTH COAST, Calif. – The Department of Veterans Affairs has issued an update on operations for its clinics in the North Bay on Monday, Oct. 16, in light of the region’s wildland fires.
The following schedules are in effect.
- Santa Rosa VA Clinic: Staff at the clinic assessing the environment and preparing it for operation. They will make a final decision about operating status for Monday, Oct. 16, by 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 15. For up-to-date information over the weekend, follow the clinic’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.
- Clearlake VA Clinic: Open and fully operational.
- Ukiah VA Clinic: Open and fully operational.
- Eureka VA Clinic: Open and fully operational.
VA shuttles will run between Ukiah, Cloverdale, Hopland, Santa Rosa and the San Francisco VA Medical Center on Oct. 16. All other shuttle stops will be closed.
Veterans who are unable to reach a clinic or who have fire-related symptoms are encouraged to contact Telephone Linked Care at 800-733-0502.
Text your zip code to 888777 for text updates on evacuation orders and road closures in your area. 511.org also provides up to date road condition info on all of the Bay Area (including up to Eureka).
NORTH COAST, Calif. – The Department of Veterans Affairs has issued an update on operations for its clinics in the North Bay on Thursday, Oct. 12, in light of the region’s wildland fires.
The following schedules are in effect for Thursday:
- Santa Rosa VA Clinic: Closed through Friday, Oct. 13.
- Clearlake VA Clinic: Open for walk-ins. Staff will be calling veterans with appointments to reschedule.
- Ukiah VA Clinic: Open for walk-ins. Staff will be calling veterans with appointments to reschedule.
- Eureka VA Clinic: Open for walk-ins. Staff will be calling veterans with appointments to reschedule.
VA shuttles will not be able to travel between the San Francisco VA Medical Center and the VA Clinics north of the Golden Gate Bridge on Oct. 12.
The VA encourages veterans who are unable to reach a clinic or who have fire-related symptoms to contact its Telephone Linked Care at 800-733-0502.
Text your zip code to 888777 for text updates on evacuation orders and road closures in your area.
SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health urges Californians to get the influenza vaccine in September or October ahead of the arrival of influenza season.
In California, flu usually begins to increase in late November or December. It takes a couple of weeks after vaccination for the body to respond fully, so now is the time to get vaccinated to have the best protection before the flu season begins.
“Getting vaccinated is the best protection against flu illness,” said CDPH Director and State Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. “You can prevent missing work or school, visits to the doctor or hospitalizations, and protecting others from coming down with the flu.”
A person with flu may be contagious and infect others before they even feel sick.
For the second year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention only recommend injectable flu vaccines.
The nasal spray flu vaccine – live attenuated influenza vaccine or LAIV – is not recommended for use this season due to concerns about the effectiveness.
Each year, flu causes millions of illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and, sometimes, thousands or tens of thousands of deaths in the United States.
To reduce this risk, CDPH recommends the annual flu vaccine for everyone six months of age and older.
While anyone can get flu, pregnant women, children under five, adults 65 years of age and older, and people with chronic conditions such as heart disease and asthma are particularly at risk for flu-related complications.
Flu shots are needed every year to maintain the greatest protection because the vaccine changes each season to match the circulating viruses.
Common symptoms of the flu include fever or feeling feverish, a cough and/or sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, chills, fatigue and body aches. Children may also have nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
To stop the spread of flu and other respiratory illnesses, you should also:
Stay home while sick and limit contact with others;
Cover your cough or sneeze with your sleeve or disposable tissue;
Wash hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer;
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
CDPH encourages Californians to contact their health care provider, physician’s office, clinic or pharmacy about obtaining the flu vaccine.
Lake County Public Health offers low-cost vaccinations. Call 707-263-1090 for more information.
For more information about the flu, visit CDPH’s Web site. For the flu vaccine location nearest you, visit www.flu.gov.