By Agencies
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As we enter Flu Season, the Ventura County Health Care Agency is reminding the community that the best way to protect against the flu virus is to receive an annual flu vaccine.
The Ventura County Health Care Agency is offering multiple options for the community to conveniently receive a flu shot, through our Ambulatory Care Clinic system, Public Health Clinics, as well as pop-up community clinics.
Although seasonal influenza (flu) viruses are detected year-round in the United States, flu viruses are most common during the fall and winter. The timing and duration of flu season can vary, but influenza activity often begins to increase in October, and most often, flu activity peaks between December and February.
While receiving a flu vaccination anytime during the flu season can help protect against getting the virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that anyone over the age of six months receive a flu vaccine beginning in September or October each year.
This year, Ventura County Public Health encourages anyone 65 years of age and older to receive a high dose quadrivalent flu shot. While the regular dose flu vaccine provides those 65 and over with significant protection, the high dose vaccine, with four times the amount of potency, is recommended as seniors have a lower immune response to vaccination. Seniors are at particular risk for experiencing significant and negative outcomes from an influenza infection. For more information on this vaccine, visit: Fluzone High-Dose Seasonal Influenza Vaccine | CDC.
It is safe and effective to get a flu vaccine simultaneously with other vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines/boosters. For more information on the CDC’s approval of co-administration of vaccines, visit: Frequently Asked Influenza (Flu) Questions: 2022-2023 Season | CDC.
It is also important that the community take everyday precautions to help minimize the spread of the flu, such as avoiding close contact with people who are sick, covering coughs and sneezes, and practicing proper handwashing.
For dates and locations, including drive-thru options, where flu vaccines are being offered countywide, visit www.vchca.org/flu-shots (please note, appointments may be required).
For more information about the flu and flu vaccines, visit: Influenza (Flu) | CDC.
