Influenza Prevention

The flu vaccine will protect against the influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the season. Flu vaccine is offered in a variety of settings in Monterey County.  Your medical provider may have flu vaccine for you.  Other alternatives are pharmacies, retail stores with pharmacies inside them, and/or community-based immunization clinics.  

No Cost Influenza Immunization Clinics - Fall 2024

Unless otherwise noted, influenza immunizations are available to everyone 6 months of age and older at no cost.  Minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Other ways to keep from getting or spreading the flu include:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
• If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
• Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill.
• Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

For School and Early Childhood Education Settings

Educational settings should call the Monterey County Health Department's Communicable Disease Unit at 831-755-4521 for more information.  Suspected outbreaks of influenza should be immediately reported by calling the Health Department's Epidemiology & Surveillance Unit at 831-755-4698.

• Sample Instructions for Children Being Sent Home with Suspected Influenza - English
  
• Sample Instructions for Children Being Sent Home with Suspected Influenza - Spanish
• Sample Influenza Exposure Notice - English
  
• Sample Influenza Exposure Notice - Spanish
• When to Keep Your Child Home from School or Child Care - English
• When to Keep Your Child Home from School or Child Care - Spanish
• School and Daycare Reporting Guidelines
• School and Daycare Reporting Form

Influenza Surveillance Data

Please click to view the Communicable Disease dashboard with local influenza data available in English and Spanish.

California data is available at the California Department of Public Health’s influenza website.

United States data is available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s influenza website.

For More Information

• California Department of Public Health influenza website
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention influenza website

For Healthcare Providers

Recommendations for Providers During Influenza Season

1. Encourage vaccination against influenza. Vaccination offers the best protection against influenza, which will be critical as we navigate the possibility of influenza and COVID-19 circulating at the same time.
2. Consider the early use of antiviral medications. For high-risk individuals presenting with clinically compatible illness, do not delay the use of antiviral medications while confirmatory tests are pending.
3. Test for influenza when appropriate.  Use your clinical judgment to guide testing decisions.  Be aware that atypical presentations of influenza may occur (e.g., acute respiratory illness without fever), especially among young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.  Results of any diagnostic test should be evaluated in the context of clinical and epidemiological information. 
   • Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is the most sensitive test for detecting influenza viruses.  It has the added ability to subtype influenza A.  RT-PCR is available through the Monterey County Public Health Laboratory and most commercial laboratories including Quest Diagnostics and Laboratory Corporation of America.  Rapid diagnostic (antigen) tests have the advantage of being readily available at most facilities.  However, while specificities are high during times of known influenza activity, the sensitivity of currently available rapid tests is generally low to moderate (range 10% to 80%).  As a result, negative rapid test results do not exclude influenza virus infection and should not be used to make treatment or infection control decisions.  
   • Acceptable specimens vary by the type of test.  Specimens should be collected as close to illness onset as possible (ideally within 5 days).  Nasopharyngeal and nasal specimens generally have higher yield for detection of influenza viruses than throat swab specimens.
4. Laboratories should submit the following specimens to the Monterey County Public Health Department:
   • All specimens (positive or negative) from fatal cases of respiratory illness among individuals <65 years of age.
   • All specimens (positive or negative) from individuals requiring ICU care for respiratory illness who are <65 years of age.
     
   • All specimens (positive or negative) from individuals of any age who report contact with swine, wild birds, commercial flocks, or livestock, or recent international travel.
5. Educate your patients about everyday prevention actions like washing their hands, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when ill.
6. Promptly report to the Health Department's Communicable Disease Unit (phone 831-755-4521; fax: 831-775-8076) cases of:
   • fatalities and ICU admissions among individuals <65 years of age*,  
   • suspected novel strains of influenza (inpatient or outpatient), 
   • severe otherwise unexplained respiratory illness among individuals with recent international travel and/or contact with wild birds, commercial flocks, cattle, or swine, and
   • suspected outbreaks of influenza in congregate living facilities, schools, and/or daycare centers.

*Reporting of influenza-related fatalities among children less than 18 years of age is required by Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations.  The Monterey County Health Department asks medical providers to voluntarily also report ICU admissions and fatalities among individuals <65 years of age to improve local influenza surveillance.

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