As Summer Fades, Kern County Begins To Brace For Flu Season
Experts say the best way to prevent the flu is to get an annual vaccine. The Kern County Public Health Services Department will be holding two free vaccination clinics in October, as well as getting the word out through billboards and other campaigns.
The Bakersfield Californian:
County, Businesses Gearing Up For Start Of Flu Season
Fall is almost upon us, but along with cooler weather it brings a less welcome element: the start of flu season. Flu season typically kicks off in October, but pharmacies and other businesses have already begun offering flu shots, often at no cost to those who have health insurance. The Kern County Public Health Services Department will begin offering flu shots in early October once their vaccines arrive. ...[Michelle Corson, public relations officer for KCPH] said the department will be holding two free vaccination clinics in October to try to get more people to get a flu shot, which typically costs $9. The department will also be getting the word out starting next month with billboards, public safety announcements and other efforts. (Luiz, 9/15)
In other news across the state —
Ventura County Star:
Dignity Merger Angst To Be Vented In Oxnard Hearing
Worries about job security, hospital closures and Catholic views on reproductive services will likely be aired in an Oxnard public meeting on a planned merger involving the parent company of two local hospitals. Dignity Health, which operates 39 hospitals, including St. John’s in Oxnard and Camarillo, is planning to merge with Catholic Health Initiatives. That Colorado-based company owns 101 hospitals in 18 states. Officials from the California Attorney General’s Office will hold a public meeting to hear comments on the merger at 1 p.m. Thursday at Oxnard College’s Performing Arts Center. Similar meetings are being held across the state as part of a process leading to a decision by the attorney general on whether to OK the plan. (Kisken, 9/16)
Capital Public Radio:
Videos Show Sacramento Police Fatally Shoot Darell Richards, But Key Details Still Unclear
The Sacramento Police Department has released video of the officers who fatally shot Darell Richards, a black-Hmong 19-year-old, in the backyard of a Curtis Park home on the morning of September 6. The footage culminates when a police dog locates Richards hiding underneath a staircase. (Zentner, Hagan and Miller, 9/14)