Health Officials Urge H1N1 Vaccine After New Outbreak

This week, health officials are raising concern as the Southeast part of the country is seeing an increased number of H1N1 cases. This is a "worrisome trend" with fears that it may be a sign that a third wave of the H1N1 flu outbreak may be on the horizon.

Each week since then, hospitals have reported at least 40 hospitalizations and no more than four deaths statewide, O'Neal says. "That doesn't sound like a lot," he says. "But we had dropped down to no hospitalizations at the end of December. Seeing 40 per week was a significant increase for us."

Most of those hospitalized have chronic illnesses, including diabetes, chronic lung disease and neurologic ailments. Pregnancy also raises a woman's risk of severe flu illness.

U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin urged people Monday to get vaccinated, especially those in high-risk groups. O'Neal said parents should take children younger than 9 for the full set of two shots.

View the full story at the USA Today here.  
To find the nearest location to get the H1N1 flu shot, visit FluShotLA.com.

This Weekend: Free Groceries, Free Flu Shots, Free Tax Preparation!

Join First Lady Maria Shriver at The Forum for WeConnect Weekend! 


When:  This Weekend!  
Friday, March 26th – Sunday, March 28th 2010    Friday: 3:00 – 8:00pm
    Saturday: 10:00 – 7:00pm
    Sunday: 11:00 – 3:00pm

Where: The Forum – Downtown Los Angeles
3900 West Manchester Blvd., Inglewood CA 90305

7 Reasons to attend the WE Connect Weekend
1.    Free Flu Shots (It's not too late to get vaccinated!)
2.    Free Tax Preparation 
3.    Foreclosure Assistance
4.    Job Search & Resume Assistance
5.    Free Bag of Produce
6.    Programs and Services all in one place
7.    FUN!!!

More info on WeConnect Weekend is available here.

Sunday: Free H1N1 Flu Clinic at St. Mary's

It's not too late to get vaccinated!  Public Health officials report that many people are at risk for H1N1.  The Hispanic community is especially at risk because many people have still not gotten their vaccines. Most people will recover from the pandemic H1N1 flu without treatment. However, just like the seasonal flu, pandemic H1N1 flu can lead to serious health problems and even death.


Free H1N1 Flu Shot Clinic
Sunday, March 28, 2010 
From 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church
407 S. Chicago St., Los Ángeles, CA 90033

Pregnant women; adults younger than 25 years of age; young children; and people with underlying health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease, are more likely to have complications from the flu.  

Important Facts You Need to Know About the H1N1 Vaccine:

• The H1N1 vaccine is safe, effective and FDA approved.
• The vaccine is made and tested the same way as the seasonal flu vaccine, which has an excellent safety profile.
• The vaccine can provide great protection from the H1N1 flu and possibly save your life. 
• It is the number one and most effective form of prevention for the H1N1 flu.

To find other locations to get the H1N1 vaccine, visit FluShotLA.com.

H1N1 Flu Fighters

You've probably seen them on the bus. More than likely, you've seen them on the billboards.  But who are they? They are our H1N1 flu fighters!  In the coming weeks, we'll roll out several short videos of our volunteer actors that were taken during the film shoot for our PSA.

If you haven't seen the PSA, it's been running on local TV as well as on MTA's TransitTV. Check it out: 

First, meet Kathleen & Daniel.. they are mother and son.  They both also happen to be asthmatic.



Meet Wendy from La Habra...

It's not too late to get vaccinated!  To find the nearest location to get the H1N1 vaccine, visit http://www.FluShotLA.com.

Saturday: Free H1N1 Flu Shots at TEST-FEST in East LA!

According to recent statistics, more than 2 million new cases of H1N1 were reported last month alone.  Health officials say that it is not too late to get the H1N1 flu vaccination. It caused more than 18,000 hospitalizations and about 310 deaths. The full article on recent H1N1 cases is on WebMD here.

Health officials continue to say that it is not too late to get vaccinated!  This Saturday, March 20, a free H1N1 flu shot clinic will be at TEST FEST 2010 in East Los Angeles.  The event is taking place at Ruben Salazar Park at 3864 Whittier Boulevard from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

TEST FEST is Southern California's largest HIV testing and counseling event. There will be more than 10 HIV mobile testing vans, an afternoon of live music, health educators, non-profit organizations, a video game truck for the kids, food, free giveaways and more.

Musical performances by:
* Los Internacionales Pasteles Verdes
* Ricardo Cerda El Gavilan
* Luis Alberto El Paisita y Su Grupo Epidemia Norteña
* Grupo Contagio Show
* Romantico Bohemios
* Nikolas Carreon y Su Grupo Zaborett
* Banda Kumbala
* Polo Rey

Community organizations participating at TEST-FEST include Bienestar, The Wall Las Memorias Project, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center’s Prevention on Wheels, AltaMed Health Services, Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, California State University, Long Beach, East Valley Community Health Center, JWCH Institute, among others.

TEST-FEST is sponsored by Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Office of AIDS Programs & Policy and County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation and CBS Radio LA. Health educators from LA County Department of Public Health, non profit organizations and AIDS service organizations will be on site. There will also be representatives from the LA County Sheriff’s Department, County of Los Angeles Fire Department and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

To find other locations to get an H1N1 flu shot, visit FluShotLA.com.

For more information on H1N1 and people with HIV/AIDS, resources are available here.

Upcoming Free H1N1 Flu Shot Clinics

It's not too late to get your H1N1 flu shot! The H1N1 is not the flu as usual. The virus that causes the H1N1 flu is a new type of flu virus that is different from the seasonal flu. Both types of the flu can be serious. The good news is the number one and most effective form of prevention for the flu is to get vaccinated!

Upcoming free H1N1 flu shot will be held at the following locations:

Sunday, March 14, 2010 – 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Immaculate Conception Parish
1433 James M. Wood Blvd., Los Ángeles CA, 90015

Wednesday, March 17th - 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Los Angeles Job Corps Center
221 W. 11th Street, 1st Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90015
o Guests may park neighboring parking lots for a nominal fee

Sunday, March 28, 2010 – 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church
407 S. Chicago St., Los Ángeles, CA 90033

For more locations offering the H1N1 flu vaccine, visit FluShotLA.com.

New Study: H1N1 Hits Pregnant Women Particularly Hard

A new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, finds that pregnant women are hit particularly hard especially if they have asthma, diabetes or obesity.  The research looked at 43 pregnant women with H1N1 flu, who were admitted to six different hospitals in 2009... 

Two women were admitted during their first trimester, 13 during their second trimester and 28 in their third trimester. Twenty-five had been hospitalized due to flu-like illness; all but one of these women spent less than a week in the hospital. But among the 11 patients admitted for pneumonia, seven were hospitalized for at least a week.

Half of the women had at least one other health problem, such as asthma, obesity, or diabetes mellitus, but these women did not seem to be at increased risk of pneumonia or pregnancy complications compared to women without other health problems.

In addition, 15 delivered their babies while they were hospitalized. 

The study offers further evidence that pregnant women need to get the H1N1 flu vaccine.  To read the full story, go to Reuters Health here. 

To find H1N1 resources for Pregnant Women, click here. 

To find resources for people with Asthma, click here.

To find resources for people with Diabetes, click here.

To find the nearest locations to get the flu vaccine, visit FluShotLA.com.