This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The sniff and sneeze season is almost here, and flu vaccines are already available. The Salt Lake Valley Health Department began offering flu vaccines this week at five of its public health centers.
The flu strains circulating in the United States are predicted to be the same as last year, which is believed to have sped up production, said Pamela Davenport, spokeswoman at the Salt Lake Valley Health Department. With vaccines ready, doctors and health centers are making them available to the public several weeks earlier than usual in Utah.
"You might as well get protected when you can," Davenport said. "We really do see flu cases throughout the year — the majority are October to April."
The vaccine will help protect against the H1N1 virus, though it takes two weeks for antibodies to build up to maximum levels in the body. The demand for vaccines is not expected to mirror the surge two years ago, driven by concerns about H1N1 and a shortage of vaccine.
More Americans than ever got vaccinated for the flu last year, according to Jeff Dimond, a spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"The one thing we know about flu is it's totally unpredictable," he said.
Basic flu prevention advice includes frequent hand washing, covering coughs and staying home when sick — in addition to getting vaccinated.
"You may want to show your boss how tough you are, but if you come into the office and make everyone sick, your boss is not going to appreciate it," Dimond said.
Residents of the Salt Lake Valley Health Department can receive an injectable vaccine at age 6 months and older. The FluMist nasal spray vaccine is also available for those from ages 2 to 49. The shot is $25, and FluMist is $34.
The CDC recommends that everyone older than 6 months be vaccinated. Costs and public health clinic hours vary at health departments across the state.
Want to get your flu shot?
Call 801-468-2720 or go to http://www.slvhealth.org for more information.