ST. GEORGE – The Southwest Utah Public Health Department confirmed Monday that three influenza-related deaths occurred in the southwest district during the past two weeks. All three were under the age of 65. These are the first flu deaths reported in the area for the 2013-14 flu season. By comparison, one death was reported during the 2012-13 season for the five-county area served by the SWUPHD.
“We have now had 46 people hospitalized from the flu this season,” said Lisa Starr, SWUPHD surveillance nurse. “Their ages range from infants to the elderly, but nearly all of them tested positive for the H1N1 flu strain, which caused the 2009 pandemic.”
The Centers for Disease Control is reporting widespread flu activity throughout the United States. Most cases are H1N1 and over 60 percent of hospitalizations involve people under the age of 65, a pattern similar to the 2009 pandemic.
“We urge people to get vaccinated if they haven’t already,” Starr said. “This year’s vaccine includes protection against H1N1 and is still available.”
Flu vaccine is available at the following SWUPHD clinics:
St. George: 620 S. 400 E., third level walk-in, 435-673-3528
Monday through Thursday: 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesdays 1 – 5 p.m.
Every other Friday: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., starting Jan. 24
Cedar City: 260 E. DL Sargent Drive, walk-in 435-586-2437
Monday through Thursday: 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays 1 – 4:30 p.m.
Fridays 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Kanab: 445 North Main
Call 435-644-2537 for appointment
Beaver: 75 W. 1175 N.
Call 435-438-2482 for appointment
Panguitch: 601 East Center
Call 435-676-8800 for appointment
Submitted by the Southwest Utah Public Health Department
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews
And yet, there are still the ignorant people who won’t get a flu shot. And the even more ignorant ones who spread the rumors about flu shots giving you the flu.
I’m living proof! I took the flu shot 3 years in a row…got extremely sick for those three years.! I refuse to take the shot again….its been 10 years without taking the shot and I have NOT been sick with the flu!! And not everyone has this issue! Do not call me ignorant because I’m smart in knowing my body!
Even more ignorant is to be baffled and buy into everything the government tells you. I have found that the first to call someone a name does it because they lack self esteem! 63 years I have never had a flu shot and have never gotten the flu. Just follow the money and see where it all goes! 🙂
What are the flu symptoms and what if you do not have medical insurance where can you go to get checked if you have it?
1 first call the cdc
2 then call the obamacare hotline
Were any of these people admitted or who did pass away have the vaccine? Just curious?
It’s not ignorant not to get the flu vaccine. Each and every flu season is a complete unknown and a gamble. Sure, it can only help to get it, but plenty of years I’ve gotten the shot and there’s no pandemic, and other years I don’t and I’m just fine. If you understood how quickly viruses mutate and how many different strains can exist at any given point in time, you’d think the flu shot was a complete waste of time. All the Health Department can do is guess at what the most prominent strains WILL BE and hope for the best. As for those who claim the flu shot gave them the flu, that’s simply bad luck. Whatever they caught most likely wasn’t even in the vaccine.
The flu shot does not give you the flu. What it does do is give you the virus in a small dose and some people have allergic reactions which can be just as deadly as having the flue.
I will never get another flu shot or be bullied into getting one. There are too many studies which demonstrate the adverse affects of the shot and I would advise everyone to think twice before getting one.
Why does IHC make these shots mandatory? The flu virus strain is different from year to year and there is no way to predict the accuracy of the vaccination.
Do not get a flu shot.
And we become more and more a second tier society as uninformed, anti-science, paranoid views like Bree’s become more common.
Ad hominem
Non Sequitur
I believe in science and I use physicians when needed because I know I can’t live without some form of Western Medicine. But, I believe I am far healthier because of the choices I make using natural cures and preventive measures than anything else I have found. You call this Paranoid I call it educated.
It’s time everyone reads the facts and stop listening to the Gov. propaganda (who had our best interest at heart, right?) Wrong.
Science baby. There’s no substitute for the scientific method. Paying heed to Old wive’s tales, anecdotal evidence and advice dispensed on Internet forums and cable TV by Hollywood starlets puts you in the same league as the Taliban.
The one time I had a flu shot I got the flu. I had a fever of 104 for 3 days and had the flu for another 2 weeks. how do we know these people aren’t getting the flu from the shot?
Well this stinks to high heaven: no author listed, no names of the deciesed, and all the info coming from government sources. It looks like you guys are selling flu shots and I’m not buying it. The pope at the top of the comments says ignorant people aren’t getting flu shots, but I would argue that ignorant people are the ones who will race right out and get it. I suggest doing some research first.
I know one of the people who died. It was the h1n1 virus.
What lab do you work at? Or you going off what someone else told you?
Why would I need to work at a lab when she died and had a funeral after being in icu for a week?
I agree, don’t get a flu shot. Heaven knows the world is overpopulated as it is, and eliminating your ilk will be a good start in resolving this problem….
LOL, I see we’ve got some comments from the flat-earth crowd.
Is there a home flu test that you can purchase?
Hey why don’t we poll everyone who already had the flew and ask them how many of them had the Vaccine before they got sick. I bet 9 out of 10 did people are stupid to get vaccines especially when it’s only obvious our Government is preparing for a mass take over of it’s People WAKE UP AMERICA
I had H1N1 when it came around in 2009 and was sick for weeks. I had not had any shots.
Sure is a lot of ignorant people on here. So dumb they don’t even realize just how dumb they are.
One of the deaths was a gal I went to school with, only 42 yrs. old,so they are not making this stuff up. She died within about ten days after becoming sick. It’s not something to mess around with!
My Sister-in-Law is one of the deceased. I am not aware whether or not if she had gotten the flu vaccine, but she did indeed have the H1N1 strain. She passed away after a week in the ICU under complete sedation. The flu gave her pneumonia, high fevers (that they fear caused brain damage), organ deterioration, lack of oxygen would have meant that she would have had to have some of her fingers, toes and part of one foot amputated.
My wife will never let us have a flu shot which I am thankful for. We have are natural source to keep us healthy.
We have three people on here that claim to know a victim. This is a good chance for St. George News to do what journalist do and confirm the information. I’m pleading with you guys: please don’t just feed us the crap the government gives you. If you do, you’ll be just like all the big news companys: professional liars.
Sure sign of the redneck – “everything the gubmit says is crap”
Bender, Bender who needs a hug? I am a redneck; but you my friend, are a troll. It’s cool I’ve been there. Here are a few reasons I don’t trust the gubment: 9-11, citizens united, Gulf of Tonkin, Iran Contra, WMDs in Iraq, agent orange, anthrax testing on US troops, our relationship with Isreal, and the other thousands of lies we been told by them.
can the flu vaccine make me pregnant?
It won’t make you preggers….but you will need viagra.
Depends on how (and where) it is injected.
During the 2009 h1n1 pandemic I was exposed to the virus by a very good friend and I didn’t get it. Nope didn’t have the flu shot either. Was using a herbal tincture that kept me healthy. I’ve watched dh get the shot several yrs in a row and he always gets sick
Getting the flu shot always Carries a risk but so does not getting. Do your own research and make your own decision. My research and my opinion is that certain people should take the risk of getting a flu shot (people of poor health, the chronically ill) and others should not take the risk (people of fairly good and good health). Even though I am an asthmatic I have only had one flu shot in my adult life (I’m 30) it was during a very high risk pregnancy. I’ve been fine every year so far, I guess we’ll see what happens this year.
One thing that I cannot figure out is why we have to name call if we disagree. If I called my wife a name every time we had a disagreement my face would permanently be disfigured by now. America is not quite communist yet is it?