The Mobile County Health Department reported a sharp rise in confirmed influenza cases during the first weeks of 2015, prompting local health officials to renew calls for residents to take basic precautions against the virus.
Between the start of December 2014 and Jan. 20, 2015, the department logged more than 700 confirmed flu cases based on positive test results reported from area hospitals and the department’s own family health clinics. Officials cautioned that the real number of infections in Mobile County is almost certainly higher, since influenza is not a disease that private doctors and urgent care clinics are required to report to public health authorities.
Dr. Bernard Eichold, the county’s health officer, said the flu remains a serious and sometimes deadly illness, and he encouraged residents who have not yet been vaccinated to do so. He outlined a handful of simple steps residents can take to help prevent the virus from spreading through homes, schools and workplaces: covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or the crook of an arm, washing hands frequently with soap and water, using alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap isn’t available, avoiding touching the eyes, nose and mouth, and staying home when sick.
To help meet demand, the Mobile County Health Department made the seasonal flu vaccine available without an appointment to anyone age 6 months and older. Walk-in shots were offered Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the department’s Immunization Clinic on North Bayou Street in downtown Mobile. Appointments were also available at the department’s outlying Family Health Centers for residents who preferred to schedule a visit rather than walk in.
The vaccine was offered for $15 per dose, payable by cash, credit card, Medicaid, Medicare Part B or private insurance that covers immunizations, making it accessible to a broad swath of county residents regardless of ability to pay out of pocket.
Public health officials nationwide were tracking an active flu season that winter, and Mobile County’s numbers reflected that trend. Health departments across South Alabama routinely see case counts climb in January, as colder weather pushes people indoors and into closer contact with one another. Local officials stressed that vaccination remains the single most effective tool for reducing the severity and spread of the illness, even though the shot is not a guarantee against infection.
Residents with questions about vaccine availability, clinic hours or the cost of a flu shot were encouraged to call the Mobile County Health Department’s Immunization Clinic directly at 251-690-8889 for the latest scheduling information.