El Dorado County reports first flu-related death in nearly 3 years; vaccines available
Health officials on Wednesday announced the first death caused by seasonal flu reported in El Dorado County in nearly three years as respiratory illnesses continue to spread this winter.
The El Dorado County resident died from the flu last month, according to the county’s Public Health Division. The county did not release any further details about the person who died. The last time a county resident died from the flu was in February 2020.
Dr. Nancy Williams, the county’s public health officer, said last month’s flu death is “a painful reminder” that COVID-19 isn’t the only threat. She said cases of other respiratory illnesses are occurring in much greater numbers than health officials have seen in several years, and “continued vigilance” to prevent further spread of infectious illnesses remains important for everyone.
“Precautions taken during the pandemic to prevent transmission of COVID, like masking and staying away from other people when ill, worked well at reducing the incidence of respiratory illnesses, including flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and the common cold,” Williams said in a news release. “Unfortunately, relaxing our precautions has resulted in those illnesses spreading more freely again. We are hearing reports of many people missing school and work this fall.”
Williams said people at risk for complications from the flu and their close contacts are “especially encouraged” to be vaccinated. Risk factors for complications include being under age 5 or over age 65, being pregnant, being morbidly obese, or having chronic health conditions such as asthma and other lung diseases, diabetes, neurological disorders, and heart disease.
Health care workers and people who live or work with at-risk persons should also be immunized, according to the news release. They must be at least 6 months of age to receive the influenza vaccine. Primary-series COVID-19 vaccine is available for ages 6 months and older. Booster doses are available starting at the age of 5 years.
“In addition to being vaccinated, everyone can prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses by keeping hands washed, avoiding close contact with people who are sick, staying home when sick, and covering your coughs,” Williams said in the news release.
The county’s Public Health Division nurses are offering free walk-in flu and COVID vaccination clinics at various locations throughout the county and on certain days at the county’s Public Health offices in Placerville and South Lake Tahoe.
December vaccination clinic calendars can be found online on the El Dorado County website. Public Health also offers flu and COVID vaccinations by appointment at its offices.
“We recommend that everyone be vaccinated against the flu annually,” Carole Hodge-Little, the county’s immunization coordinator, said in the news release. “If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet this fall, now is a great time to do that, along with keeping up to date on your COVID-19 vaccinations.”
For more information about El Dorado County Public Health vaccinations, call 530-621-6100 in Placerville or 530-573-3155 in South Lake Tahoe.
Testing and treatment for COVID-19 are available at the LHI OptumServe test sites in Placerville and South Lake Tahoe by appointment or drop-in. More information about COVID-19 treatment can be found online.
This story was originally published December 8, 2022 at 7:46 AM.
