SANTA CLARITA GIVES FLU VIRUS ITS BEST SHOT.Byline: Patricia Farrell Aidem Daily News Staff WriterNeal Berndt got his free flu shot Tuesday at a City Hall clinic, then headed to the dentist for a root canal root canal n. 1. The chamber of the dental pulp lying within the root portion of a tooth. Also called pulp canal. 2. . It wasn't his day, Berndt said, noting he wasn't sure he wanted to watch the evening's election returns in case bad things really do come in threes. ``I never had a flu shot before,'' said Berndt, who was in Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, City Hall on business. ``I saw a guy in the hall, and he said they were giving free shots here.'' About 200 were expected at the five-hour clinic in City Council chambers. Yet well before lunchtime, about 150 had come through the doors, signed releases, taken their shots and filled out brief surveys. The process took less than five minutes. The free clinic was offered by the city, Health Net and the Greater Valley Medical Center. A three-woman crew had 250 doses of the flu vaccine The flu vaccine is a vaccine to protect against the highly variable influenza virus. The annual flu kills an estimated 36,000 people in the United States. on hand, said Pat Mahoney, a health center manager for Greater Valley. Nurse Elizabeth Whalen and medical assistant Teresa Perez administered the shots. ``I'm being forced into it, I am,'' said a reluctant Lori Murphy, who works for the Santa Clarita Valley The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. It stretches through Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Its main population center is the city of Santa Clarita. The valley was part of the 48,612-acre (19,672. Chamber of Commerce. Her boss, she said, strongly ``suggested'' she get the free shot. Murphy said her grandmother often reminded her to get a flu shot, advice she ignored - then paid for each flu season
``My grandmother died two weeks ago,'' Murphy said. ``I did it today for my grandmother.'' Mahoney suggested people who have not been immunized against influenza influenza or flu, acute, highly contagious disease caused by a virus; formerly known as the grippe. There are three types of the virus, designated A, B, and C, but only types A and B cause more serious contagious infections. types A and B hurry and do so. Flu shot season, she said, runs through early November. The flu season itself lasts through March. Influenza is characterized by fever, ``heavy duty'' body aches, persistent cough and chills, Whalen said. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos Photo: (1) Valencia resident Bill Gustin turns away as licensed vocational nurse licensed vocational nurse n. Abbr. LVN A licensed practical nurse who is permitted by license to practice in California or Texas. Elizabeth Whalen administers a flu shot. (2) Nurse Elizabeth Whalen and medical assistant Teresa Perez fill syringes with flu vaccine. Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News |
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