‘TIS THE FLU SEASON
From November through March each year, various strains of influenza afflict thousands of people in Los Angeles County. Flus to expect this year include the Taiwan, Shanghai and Yamagata strains.
Doctors recommend vaccinations for the elderly and those who are vulnerable to the flu. For information on clinics with free shots through Dec. 15, call the county Health Line at (213) 250-8055 or the county Department of Senior Citizens Affairs at (213) 857-6466 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The following shows how many people died in Los Angeles County of flu complications and resulting pneumonia in the last three flu seasons.
SEASON NOV. DEC. JAN. FEB. MARCH Total* 1986-87 387 408 271 238 309 1,613 1987-88 205 298 381 413 339 1,636 1988-89 194 322 564 510 323 1,913
*Excludes city of Pasadena, where data was unavailable.
Source: L.A. County Dept. of Health Services
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