Meet the Flu Fighters

You're in traffic and see them again.  Who are these heroic flu fighters?  They are our volunteer participants in our H1N1 flu prevention campaign. They are on billboards, posters, on TV and in the back of that bus. Here's a chance to hear from them our YouTube channel.

Meet Jeff from West Hollywood.  He emphasizes the importance of getting a flu shot if you're HIV positive or immune compromised. Find out more about HIV & H1N1 here.

Meet Gladys from Downtown Los Angeles.  Find out more about women who are pregnant & H1N1 here.

Reuters: Flu vaccines up, but not enough

According to health experts, more Americans got the flu vaccine in record numbers, but it's still too few.  In a recent Reuters article, CDC officials report:

"Compared with the previous influenza season, 2009-10 saw a 67 percent relative increase in estimated coverage for children, and a 30 percent relative increase for adults aged 18-49 years without high-risk conditions," the CDC team wrote in the agency's weekly report on death and disease.  But this remains far below targets of 60 percent for adults and 90 percent of the over-65s, the CDC said.

And although a third wave of H1N1 has not officially occurred, there are still people testing for the H1N1 virus. 

"During the four weeks ending April 15, 2010, about 26 percent of patients in all age groups tested in the southeast and 22 percent in the central south were positive for H1N1, compared to 6 percent for the remainder of the United States." 

Flu season is here until the end of May, so it's not too late to get your flu shot.  Check FluShotLA.com to find the nearest location to get vaccinated. 


For the full story on Reuters, click here.

Flu season runs through May

This Saturday, April 24, Berendo Middle School will be hosting a “Community Connected Fair” from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with a job fair and free H1N1 vaccines. The school is located at 1157 S. Berendo, Los Angeles, 90006.

It's not too late to get vaccinated. Cases of H1N1 influenza are still showing up in Los Angeles County and residents are urged to protect themselves and their loved ones.

“Flu season runs through May, which means that children and adults can still come down with influenza and may miss days at school or work because they are ill,” said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. 

“The school period after spring break is a critical time for most students, with final exams and social events such as prom. Don’t miss out because of the flu. The best prevention against the spread of flu is to get vaccinated and to practice good, simple hygiene such as washing hands often, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home if sick.”

Individuals who plan to get vaccinated are encouraged to review the vaccination form, available in several different languages, and found on the Public Health website at http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov or go to FluShotLA.com.  


“Community Day” is sponsored by the Korea Daily, CCD/ Wilshire Worksource Center, Councilmember Ed Reyes Office and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

H1N1: One Year Later

A year ago, scientists identified an influenza virus that had never been reported anywhere in the world. The discovery ignited a comprehensive response to protect against the new virus - the H1N1 flu. 

Flu.gov updated the interactive timeline that details when scientists discovered the virus, the development of a vaccine and the response.  The timeline also illustrates how many cases were reported and how the vaccine was distributed.  Check out the timeline here.

The Wall Street Journal blog also reports on "A Year After H1N1 Outbreak." Read the post here.

Are you a Flu Fighter? Take the Quiz!

Pop quiz! Think you know how to prevent and protect your loved ones from getting the influenza virus? Flu.gov has posted a quiz on Facebook to test your knowledge.  You might be surprised at how much you don't know. Take our new quiz and find out if you really are a Flu Fighter. 


Flu Fighter quiz questions include:

1:How long can influenza virus remain viable on objects (such as books and doorknobs)?

2:What everyday steps can I take to protect myself from getting the flu?

3:For how long does the CDC recommend you wash your hands with soap and water?

4:At what temperature does heat destroy the influenza virus?

5:How long can an infected adult spread H1N1 (swine) flu to others?

Take the Facebook quiz to find out the answers by clicking here. 

H1N1 remains threat to young, top health officials warn

Today, the chairman of the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Emergency Committee said the H1N1 flu pandemic is as severe as influenza pandemics in 1957 and 1968 and remains a threat, especially to healthy young adults.

"This is just as severe as we saw in 1957 and 1968, with one major difference. We are not seeing deaths in the elderly but we are seeing them in a more important group of the population, healthy young adults," Mackenzie said in a rare presentation.

"It is much more severe than people tend to talk about," he told a three-day meeting called to review the way the World Health Organization handled the pandemic.

According to the Reuters article, the official death toll so far from H1N1 is estimated to be 17,700. The 1957 and 1968 pandemics killed around 2 million and 1 million respectively. Seasonal flu kills up to 500,000 a year, 90 percent of them frail elderly people.  The article continued...

"We still have evidence of the pandemic in Asia and in West Africa," he said. "We also want to see what happens in a second wave in the southern hemisphere. We have no idea what will happen and have some concerns.

"I would say, yes, we are still in a pandemic phase 6 ... We cannot lower our guard."

To read the full Reuters article, click here.


It's not too late to get vaccinated. To find the nearest location, visit FluShotLA.com.

H1N1: Los Angeles Korean & Chinese Media

Since our H1N1 flu prevention campaign is based in Los Angeles, most of our collateral materials are available in several languages. Here are a couple of examples of recent interviews in the Chinese and Korean media.  The interviews discuss the H1N1 flu season, symptoms of the H1N1 virus and the importance of getting vaccinated. 


H1N1 Chinese News Interview on LA 18

Click here for more information on H1N1 in Chinese. 


H1N1 Korean News Interview on LA 18

Click here for more information on H1N1 in Korean.


LA 18 reaches 6.2 million TV equipped households and 2.9 million cable subscribing households in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura and San Diego counties. Check out their web site here.