When Kristin Peck was named chief executive of animal health company Zoetis Inc. in January of 2020, she had a 100-day plan. Covid-19 threw that plan into disarray.
Ms. Peck, 50, quickly reset. She focused on being empathetic, listening to employees and customers and trying to address the challenges of that period by not using the pandemic as a reason to lay off workers.
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) was confirmed in a Meeker County, Minnesota, commercial turkey flock in August, according to the states board of animal health.
While the timing of this detection is a bit sooner than we anticipated, we have been preparing for a resurgence of the avian influenza we dealt with this spring, Senior Veterinarian Dr. Shauna Voss said in a statement.
Health officials said the current outbreak was detected after a Meeker County turkey flock showed increased bird deaths in late August, confirming HPAI infection by testing.
The flock was immediately quarantined and euthanized to prevent disease transmission. Officials confirmed that poultry from the infected flock did not enter the food system.
The Minnesota Board of Animal Health (MBAH) emphasized that biosecurity is paramount to stopping the spread of HPAI.
Flock owners large and small, from commercial operations to backyard flocks, should review their biosecurity measures to maintain the health of their birds, the MBAH said in a statement.
They confirmed that a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) control area was established around the HPAI-infected flock, and animal health officials are identifying all premises with commercial or backyard poultry in that area.
These commercial flocks will be quarantined and go through routine disease surveillance to ensure HPAI isnt spreading.
While previous U.S. outbreaks of HPAI in wild bird species and poultry usually ended with warmer weather, this years outbreak continued in parts of North America over the summer.
Science reported that while a 2015 outbreak primarily affected Midwest poultry farms, the disease has now spread to practically the entire continental United States and infected a record 99 wild bird species.
If migratory birds will cause further disease spread this fall is the million-dollar question, Bryan Richards, emerging disease coordinator at the U.S. Geological Surveys National Wildlife Health Center, told Science.
Dr. Carl Fichtenbaum, Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, told Healthline that Bird flu or Avian Influenza is a variant known as the H5N1 Influenza strain.
It has resulted in rare outbreaks in humans, most notably in the late 1990s in China, he said. One outbreak affected more than 800 persons with a case fatality rate of 50 percent.
One person in Colorado in late August 2022 was detected with an H5N1 strain or bird flu, though it was different than the strain in China from years ago, he added.
Dr. Charles Bailey, medical director for infection prevention at Providence Mission Hospital and Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Southern California, confirmed that there had been one human case in a person who was working on culling birds suspected of harboring bird flu in Colorado.
There has been no evidence of human-to-human spread; the main current risk is among those having direct contact with potentially infected birds, he added.
Bailey pointed out that HPAI outbreaks in birds over the past 25 years have failed to result in sustained spread among humans, which in most instances affected only a handful of people who had come into contact with infected poultry workers.
Fichtenbaum said the strain circulating in animals would first need to adapt to circulate more frequently in humans.
It is really suited to animals/birds, he said, adding that in the past, human infections can be quite serious.
The [people] highest at risk would be those in close contact with birds, said Anjali Bharati, DO, an ER physician at Lenox Health Greenwich Village, New York.
Bharati noted that there is some concern that this virus can be passed to humans through feces in their backyard.
From my understanding, that is very rare, she continued.
Asked what the symptoms of bird flu in people are, Bharati explained that they are very similar to cold or flu and may include:
There has never been a reported case of bird flu connected to consuming or handling store-bought poultry, said Hanna Newman, MPH, director of infection prevention at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.
She explained that the risk of transmission occurs only when the virus is breathed in or contacts mucous membranes through droplets or dust in the air.
Store-bought poultry is not a concern for bird flu spread in humans, said Newman. However proper food handling is important to prevent food poisoning in general.
She said this includes washing your hands before and after handling, using a separate cutting board for raw chicken, keeping it separate from fresh foods, cooking to at least 165F, and washing all dishes, utensils, and countertops after preparation.
In late August, an outbreak of bird flu was detected in a Minnesota turkey flock. Health officials say this is sooner than they anticipated, but they were prepared.
Experts say while the disease can spread to humans, this is rare, and symptoms are similar to a cold or flu.
Store-bought poultry remains safe to eat if you follow safe handling and preparation guidelines.
Americans are paying more than ever for turkey as a contagious virus leads to the destruction ofmillions of birds.
The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus is helping drive the price of turkey specifically white boneless breast meat to record highs, even as the hottest inflation in 40 years has cooled some in recent months. That may make the Thanksgiving meal even pricier this year.
"We've seen record prices for turkeys in recent days, and the spotlight is on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and its effect on the market," American Farm Bureau economist Bernt Nelson told CBS MoneyWatch.
Seven years after the last U.S. outbreak, HPAI has been hitting U.S. commercial poultry flocks all year, with the latest wave particularly disruptive to turkey suppliers.
This year, HPAI has been confirmed in 430 commercial and backyard poultry flocks across 39 states. The virus has wiped out nearly 44 million turkeys, chickens, ducks and other birds,accordingto the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
The latest outbreak was confirmed Wednesday at a commercial turkey meat facility in Minnesota's Morrison County, with 50,000 birds lost.
Minnesota the nation's biggest turkey producer in late August detected its first outbreak of bird flu in three months at a turkey operation in Meeker County, resulting in the culling of 129,000 birds. Another outbreak was confirmed in the county the next day, claiming another 46,000 turkeys.
HPAI has so far reduced U.S. turkey production by about 3% versus year-ago levels, according to Nelson. "If we keep seeing these outbreaks, that's going to be a driver of prices," he said.
Egg prices have nearly tripled and turkey breast meat has jumped 60% to record levels this year, according to recently releasedanalysis from CoBank.
"Coinciding with widespread outbreaks in U.S. turkey flocks during 2022, wholesale spot market values for fresh tom breast meat has eclipsed $6.50 per pound in recent weeks, a level previously deemed unattainable," writes CoBank economist Brian Earnest.
In another nod to HPAI's impact, Hormel Foods' CEO listed the company's "limited turkey supply" as among the challenges facing the company as it last week lowered its yearly profit forecast.
Americans paid an average of $23.99 for a 16-pound bird last Thanksgiving, with the cost up about $1.50 a pound, or 24% higher than in 2020, the AFB estimated last November. While the bureau isn't out with its annual price forecast for 2022 yet, recent turkey prices signal the upcoming holiday could be a costly one.
A fresh 16-pound tom turkey now runs about $29.92, while a frozen version is going for about $26.24, and that is before the bird hits retail, as the figures are based on trading prices from the USDA. Consumers typically pay higher prices because grocers add on the costs of packaging, shipping and labor costs.
An eight-to-16-pound fresh whole young tom turkey averaged nearly $1.80 a pound in August and this week averaged $1.87 a pound, according to the agency. Frozen tom turkeys recently traded at $1.64 a pound, up two cents from $1.62 in August.
The good news? There should still be ample supplies of the meat for Thanksgiving, with the frozen birds most Americans buy for the annual holiday meal already in warehouses, according to the National Turkey Federation's Beth Breeding.
"We are still expecting the traditional holiday deals that you might see at the grocery stores," she told CBS MoneyWatch.
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H1N1 is simply one of the strains of the influenza virus, that causes H1N1 flu, also commonly called swine flu as it was originally found in pigs. The virus is quite contagious and spreads between humans quickly and effectively, causing symptoms similar to those of the regular human flu.
Symptoms and warning signs:
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Vikram Vora, Medical Director, India Subcontinent International SOS, shared, The symptoms and warning signs of H1N1 flu are very similar to regular human flu and are caused by the growth of the virus in the cells of the nose, throat and lungs. These include fever (with or without chills), sore throat, cough, runny nose/stuffy nose, watering of the eyes, headache or heaviness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and at times, diarrhoea. Children may sometimes experience difficulty in breathing, chest pain, dehydration and rarely, seizures. These symptoms improve within a few days after infection.
Echoing the same, Dr Kishor Sathe, Specialist Emergency Medicine at PD Hinduja Hospital and MRC in Mumbai said that the warning signs to look out for if someone has caught swine flu or H1N1 are itching in the throat, running nose, fever, body ache, high-grade fever myalgia, cough with expectoration and breathlessness as they are some of the key symptoms. Adding to the list, Dr Anant Pandhare, Medical Director at Dr Hedgewar Hospital in Maharashtra's Aurangabad, mentioned, Some of the most common symptoms are chills, fever, cough, diarrhoea, vomiting, headache, throat pain, body ache, running nose, breathlessness and requirement of O2 in some cases who are having comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension. Severe symptoms of swine flu in young kids and infants include dyspnea, apnea, tachypnea, dehydration etc. In some cases, acute respiratory failure can occur.
Treatments:
While Dr Kishor Sathe revealed that Oselatamivir is the drug to treat H1N1, Dr Vikram Vora said, Most people who get infected will require only supportive treatment, primarily aimed at providing symptomatic relief. Staying hydrated, taking fever and pain medication and resting usually help. There are antiviral drugs available that may be prescribed in the early days of the infection to reduce the duration and severity of symptoms.
He added, Drugs like Oseltamivir are used but there is a possibility of the virus becoming resistant to it of not correctly used. Hence, the usage must be medically directed and restricted to those at high risk for complications (hospitalized/institutionalized patients, pregnant women, young children with respiratory illnesses, adults with obesity or chronic diseases, those undergoing immunosuppression and older individuals above 60 years of age).
Key precautions to avoid swine flu or H1N1:
Insisting that prevention is possible, Dr Vikram Vora asserted that it rests on the adoption of basic measures like:
1. Being informed it is critical to rely on credible medical information for awareness, when it comes to infectious diseases
2. Covering the nose and mouth with a tissue when one coughs or sneezes. Be sure to dispose the tissue immediately after use, in a safe manner
3. Frequent handwashing with soap and water or use of hand sanitizers
4. Avoiding close contact with those who are obviously or suspected to be sick
5. Isolation to prevent spreading it to others
6. Most importantly, getting an annual influenza vaccine helps reduce the risk and severity of H1N1.
Dr Kishor Sathe suggested, Avoid crowded and closed places; if you have symptoms use a face mask. Dont sneeze in open; if you are not wearing a mask then sneeze on your elbow. Keep a healthy diet and keep your diabetes in control.
According to Dr Anant Pandhare, Despite the contagious nature and severity of this disease, there are several ways to prevent it. To prevent swine flu frequently wash hands with soaps or hand sanitisers, do not touch your nose, mouth, and eyes as the virus can survive out in the open on any surface, stay at home and isolate yourself if you are ill and avoid large gatherings when swine flu is in season.
Special precautions and care required specifically for children and the elderly:
Dr Kishor Sathe advised, Children are required to have good sleep and a healthy diet. If they are having symptoms then do gargling and wear masks, the same thing applies to elderly people as well.
Highlighting that children and the elderly are especially prone to developing complications of influenza (regardless of whether it is caused by H1N1 or other flu virus strains), Dr Vikram Vora pointed out, Young children, especially those with other respiratory illnesses may face an exacerbation of lung disease when infected with H1N1, manifesting as chest pain, fever and rarely seizures. Elderly individuals may also develop complications and must be protected.
He recommended some essential protective measures for these vulnerable groups:
1. Keeping them away from other sick or apparently sick individuals
2. Initiation of prompt treatment under competent medical supervision
3. Avoidance of aspirin (in children and adolescents) for pain and fever relief
4. Yearly administration of Influenza vaccine to young children and the elderly
Hantavirus is a disease caused by one of several types of hantaviruses. Hantaviruses can cause a range of flu-like symptoms that progress over days and weeks. In the later stages of the disease, hantavirus can cause difficulty breathing as fluid builds up in your lungs.
Wild rodents, including mice and rats, can carry hantaviruses. People are most commonly exposed to hantaviruses when they come into contact with rodents and their urine, droppings, or saliva. This can be through food, contaminated air, or, rarely, a rodent bite.
In the United States, most people with hantavirus live west of the Mississippi River, though there have been reports of some people with it to the east of the river.
In North and South America, some hantaviruses can progress into a rare but severe lung disease called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). HPS may begin with mild flu-like symptoms but can rapidly progress in a few days.
In other parts of the world, several strains of hantavirus are known to cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).
This article will review the effects of HPS and HFRS, how doctors or other healthcare professionals manage these conditions, and what you can do to protect yourself against hantavirus infections.
Hantavirus is mainly an airborne virus. That means you come in contact from breathing in air that the virus has contaminated. The virus gets into the air when forces, such as the elements or other animal or human activity, stir up rodent urine, droppings, or nests.
But experts believe you can also contract the virus in other ways, including:
A person with a hantavirus infection, including those that may cause HPS and HFRS, may develop symptoms anywhere between 1 to 3 weeks after exposure.
Symptoms often begin as mild and progress over a matter of days and weeks. As the disease progresses, the defining signs are:
The two most common diseases associated with hantavirus infections are HPS and HFRS. Lets take a look at their symptoms.
While many people experience a mild hantavirus infection, some hantavirus infections progress into HPS. HPS can eventually lead to fluid buildup, causing severe lung issues.
At first, a person with HPS may experience flu-like symptoms such as:
Later, a person with HPS may develop coughing and shortness of breath caused by fluid buildup in the lungs. Such symptoms tend to develop 4 to 10 days after the earliest symptoms.
For some people, HPS can progress to respiratory failure and death. The mortality rate for HPS is high but can depend on the virus you have and where you are. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is fatal in about 38% of people who contract it.
HFRS is a serious disease with early symptoms that resemble those of HPS. Symptoms usually develop in 2 to 4 weeks, but they can take up to 8 weeks to appear.
Once they appear, early flu-like symptoms last for 1 to 7 days. After that, more serious symptoms can develop. These include:
Some of the hantavirus strains known to cause HFRS can be fatal in up to 15% of people who contract it.
Even after recovering from the most serious symptoms, you may still experience mild symptoms for another 3 to 6 months.
People who come into contact with rodents carrying hantavirus are at risk of infection. Because different hantaviruses exist worldwide, the risk of infection exists for most people, though infections tend to be sporadic. But some people may be more prone than others.
You may be at higher risk of hantavirus infection if:
Overall, males appear to be more at risk. This is likely due to a higher percentage of males being involved in at-risk activities.
People 70 years old and older seem to be at greater risk of more serious disease and death.
Its important for a doctor to diagnose a hantavirus infection early. Early diagnosis can help ensure the best possible treatment and outcome.
But it can be challenging to diagnose early hantavirus. The early symptoms tend to resemble symptoms of the flu or coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). If you have a fever and shortness of breath, along with a history of potential rodent exposure, you may have a hantavirus infection.
If youre experiencing flu-like symptoms and think youve recently been exposed to rodents, its important to bring this up with a doctor. They can order an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to confirm hantavirus.
A doctor may also order the following tests to look for other symptoms:
Hantavirus infection can progress into severe disease. The goal of treatment for hantavirus is to manage your symptoms to lower the risk of damage to your lungs and heart.
Due to severe pulmonary (lung) symptoms, many people will need help breathing. About 40% of people who go to the hospital with hantavirus symptoms require mechanical ventilation. If your symptoms dont improve, your medical team might try extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).
People who develop HFRS may require hemodialysis. This is a way to filter your blood until your kidneys recover.
A doctor may consider prescribing antiviral medication to help remove the virus from your system. No large human trial has shown any antiviral to be effective at treating various hantavirus strains. But some studies have seen positive results.
Note that these treatments are still being investigated. Theres no FDA-approved treatment for hantavirus.
The best way to prevent hantavirus infection is to lower your risk of exposure to rodents and the various ways they spread disease. Some tips include:
About half of all infections stem from exposure to the virus around your home. There are steps you can take to protect your home as well.
Hantavirus is a rare but serious disease. Below are the answers to some common questions about hantavirus.
Symptoms of hantavirus can start emerging around 1 week following exposure. But some people may not see symptoms until up to 8 weeks after exposure.
The early stage of hantavirus symptoms can last up to 10 days. Symptoms can then progress rapidly.
If your hantavirus infection leads to HFRS and affects your kidneys, the most serious symptoms can last from 2 to 6 days. There will be another 2 weeks where you start to recover. But mild symptoms can linger for up to 1 year in some people.
Scientists havent observed human-to-human transmission of the hantaviruses that circulate in the United States. This means you cant catch the disease from being around or interacting with someone who has the virus.
The Andes virus, found in South America, is the only hantavirus known to show human-to-human transmission.
Very early research suggested a link between HPS and reduced memory or cognitive impairment. Researchers at the time thought that hantavirus might damage your brain directly.
Recent research suggests that the Puumala virus may affect your central nervous system (CNS). Researchers found that people who developed a mild form of HFRS experienced CNS symptoms such as headache, insomnia, and vertigo. This may be due to the virus damaging peoples blood-brain barrier, but this isnt clearly understood.
Theres no vaccine for hantavirus available in the United States. While there have been many vaccine candidates, none have yet to be seen as effective or to surpass early clinical trials.
Hantaviruses are rare but serious diseases carried by rodents and transmitted to humans worldwide. Hantaviruses cause a progression of flu-like symptoms followed by respiratory symptoms that can be severe or fatal.
Some peoples infections of hantavirus may progress into HPS, a serious lung-related complication. Some develop into HFRS, a kidney-related complication.
The focus of hantavirus treatment is supportive care to manage your symptoms and prevent damage to your body.
The best way to prevent hantavirus is to avoid contact with rodents and their urine, droppings, and nesting materials.
Are those who never had Covid-19 delusional or is their immunity due to genetic reasons?
Never had Covid? Then you are a curious case of Novid someone who has never had Covid-19 -a very rare group in the post-pandemic world, where almost everyone you know has been infected at some point.
So, are Novids special or just blessed with plain luck? Globally, experts and researchers alike are trying to decipher the phenomena. In Kerala, while public health experts from both modern medicine and alternate medicine admit that there may be around 10% of Kerala population who are still Novids, they believe that this may probably be limited to rural areas and to the elderly (very few young persons) who have been extremely careful and limited their daily interactions with the outer world.
According to them, thereare also many people who believe that they never had Covid. They might have been either infected by it but didnt get tested as they had no symptoms or simply thought that they had regular flu or allergies and therefore didnt test.
Our study on the third wave experience in India has shown that about 44% people believe that they did not have Covid. These are two categories people who actually never had Covid and those who had and did not know it, especially since a large number of those infected by Covid are asymptomatic. Those who never had Covid have been very careful and have shielded themselves better avoid indoor public gatherings, wear mask when they go out and maintain social distancing, said Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, vicechairman, research cell, IMA Kerala.
Do genetic factors also play a role in protecting a person from Coronavirus? Global researchers note that certain types of gene expressions could also provide a protective effect something that is already known with other infectious diseases. But does an individuals genetic makeup really protect them from contracting Covid despite intense exposure to the virus?
We have limited knowledge about the influence of genetic factors as it is still unexplored. Itcould be incidental, said Dr Padmanabha Shenoy, who has been analysing Covid trends in India. While there is hardly any study conducted in India on this, in the West, human genetic factors are being studied in those people who appear naturally resistant to SARS-CoV-2.
Genetic components may help but then its a mild factor in Covid-19. Everyday I get three or four patients who claim that they never had Covid. Majority agree that one or more persons in the family had Covid but they were not infected. But then the healthiest of healthy is not safe and is at risk of getting infected, said diabetologist Dr Jothydev Kesavadev.So, do we really have true Novids who have managed to protect themselves either by actively shielding themselves from the virus by consistently wearing masks and maintaining social distance or just have better immunity?
Like in every epidemic there maybe around 10% of people who have been protected because of passive immunity; that is they have antibodies against Covid-19 , said Dr Krishnakumar Chempankulam, general secretary, IndianHomeopathic Medical Association (IHMA).
However, not everyone agrees with this. The possibility of such persons is very little in the state as there was a massive community spread of Covid-19 in the state, said Dr Vijayan Nangeli, president, Ayurveda Hospital and Management Association and chairman of Ayush Aikya Vedi said.
Incidentally, the odds of remaining Novid shrinks with Covid restrictions lifted and life returning to pre-Covid times resulting in reduced attention to preventive measures such as masking and physical distancing, combined with the rise of vaccine-resistant and immunity-resistant variants.
Neither I nor my family member have ever had Covid like symptoms. For two years, we took preventive medicines and followed a healthy lifestyle and that has protected us. I had fever once but it lasted for less than a day and now I have flu like symptoms but I am certain it is not Covid and never got tested, said activist and member of Forum for Health Justice, Kerala, SP Ravi, who believes that he was never infected with Covid.
So is he probably plain lucky or would a Covid test have thrown a surprise.
It is difficult to scientifically establish if a person is Novid unless tests are done to confirm infection or the antibody titre. Till scientifically established, it is difficult to accept a person as Novid, said Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) president Dr G S Vijayakrishnan.
Views expressed above are the author's own.
END OF ARTICLE
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From updated COVID boosters to confusion about monkeypox vaccine eligibility, important vaccine updates have been top of mind this summer. But experts say theres one immunization you shouldnt forget to book as fall approaches: your flu shot. Its important to get the flu vaccine every year, but it should be an even higher priority for the 2022-2023 flu season, Thomas Russo, MD, an infectious disease expert at the University of Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, tells SELF.
Thats because data from Australias flu season, which starts to wane just as flu season ramps up in the US, is raising some concerns among infectious disease experts. We look at Australia to predict our flu season. And this year, they had a horrific flu season, Kenneth Koncilja, MD, an internal medicine and geriatrics specialist at Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF. The season peaked two months earlier than normal and with worse intensity.
Last seasons lower numbers, both in Australia and in the US, are likely a success story of all the COVID precautions we took, like masking and social distancing, which are measures that help protect against any respiratory illness, including cold and flu, Dr. Russo says.
But as COVID restrictions were lifted globally, influenza once again reared its ugly head. People are traveling, interacting without masks, Dr. Russo points out. Thats why experts fear a rise in cases may also unfold in the US this year.
So this isnt the time to pass on your flu vaccineespecially if you face a higher risk of severe illness (or plan on visiting someone who is vulnerable, like your grandparents or a pregnant friend, as you enjoy the holidays). But when should you get your flu shot, anyway? Heres what you need to know, including when flu season begins and the best time to schedule your appointment.
Influenza viruses are detected year-round, but cases tend to spike during the fall and winter months in the US. The exact timing of flu season varies from year to year, per the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), but flu activity (read: when the germs start spreading) usually starts to increase in October and peaks sometime between December and February. That said, significant activity may still be recorded as late as May.
The CDC recommends the flu shot for everyone six months or older; you can get vaccinated as early as September, and you ideally shouldnt wait past October, per the CDC. Theres a reason youre supposed to get your vaccine before flu season is in full swing; It takes a couple of weeks [for the vaccine] to kick in, Dr. Russo says. That means your body generally needs about two weeks to develop flu-fighting antibodies after your vaccinationso youre not protected right after your appointment.
Specifically, vaccinated individuals were found to be about 12% less susceptible to ischemic stroke, reports HealthDay News. However, this relationship was not observed in patients receiving the pneumococcal vaccine. While one might think this indicates something uniquely special about the flu vaccine, researchers acknowledged that it could not be deemed the definitive cause for these outcomes. Senior researcher Dr. Francisco Jose de Abajo elaborated while speaking to HealthDay News those who opt to receive the flu vaccine may also engage in other healthy behaviors, such as regular exercise or taking prescribed medications to keep their blood pressure regulated. These can all potentially lower the risk of stroke.
Even so, the study team believes its findings may point to another potential way to reduce our risk of stroke. "The flu shot is not 100% effective, but it's pretty darn good," co-author of the study, Dr. Mitchell Elkind, stated via HealthDay. Dr. De Abajo expressed similar sentiments and hopes that continued research will highlight how flu vaccines can support our overall health.
The Putnam County Health Department is preparing for flu season by once again offering clinics for those interested in receiving the seasonal flu vaccine.
The Quadrivalent flu vaccine, which protects against two influenza A strains and both B strains, is available to residents 6 months to 64 years of age.
The High Dose flu vaccine will be available for those 65 years of age and older.
High Dose flu vaccine is also a quadrivalent vaccine to protect against four strains of the flu virus.
Flu Mist is also available this year for those that are healthy and between the ages of 2 and 49 years.
The Putnam County Health Department bills most major insurance companies for vaccines, including Medicare and Medicaid, so there may not be any cost to you to receive the vaccine at the time of service.
If paying at the time of service because your insurance doesnt cover the vaccine, or you have no insurance, the cost for the flu shot is $10 for those 18 years and younger, and $35 for those 19 years and above.
There is a limited amount of free vaccine available for those with no insurance and are unable to pay. The high-dose vaccine cost is $77, which is usually covered by Medicare.
The seasonal influenza vaccine will be offered by the Putnam County Health Department at various clinic locations throughout the county.
No appointments are necessary at the clinics.
People who prefer to have an appointment should call the Putnam County Health Department at 419-523-5608 to schedule.
It is also recommended to make an appointment at the health department for young children who need a flu vaccine and who may be better served in the office setting.
The influenza vaccination clinics that are open to the public include:
September 26, 9:00 11:30 am and 1:00 3:30 pm at the Ottawa Senior Center (1035 E. Third Street, Ottawa)
