by LESLIE KELLY

Special to the Sounder

Be warned, the flu has arrived.

But don’t be worried. There’s plenty of flu vaccine available.

San Juan County Health Department officials have confirmed that cases of influenza have been reported on the San Juan islands, although the specific number of cases isn’t being tracked locally.

“We’ve seen the flu here,” said Ellen Wilcox, community health manager for the San Juan County Health Department. “It started earlier than usual — in September. But despite that, we’re seeing low levels.”

In preparation for flu season, the county health department held 21 clinics where children, adults and seniors could get flu shots, Wilcox said.

“From September to early November, we administered 723 vaccines,” Wilcox said. “Of that, 530 were adults and 193 were children.”

While there are no more county clinics set, Wilcox said that the county will continue to give vaccinations at some schools.

“We ran out of the nasal vaccine,” she said. “And that is what some parents prefer. As soon as we get more of it, we will be able to provide that for those children.”

This year’s flu, according the the Centers For Disease Control, is predominantly a blend of three viruses. The current prevention vaccination that is being given address those viruses.

“The current vaccine is doing a good job of addressing the strains that are out there,” said Cris DuVall, pharmacist at Friday Harbor Drugs.

The store has flu shots available and in most cases, insurances cover the cost. Generally, the shot costs around $25, if it’s not covered by insurance.

This is the first year that the pharmacy has given flu shots, DuVall said. They are offering the Trivalent, Quadvalent, a high dose shot for the elderly and the nasal mist.

“For many people it’s easier to get a flu shot at the pharmacy because you don’t have to have an appointment,” she said. “People can come when it’s convenient for them.”

DuVall said getting the shot protects the individual and the community.

“Flu spreads easily and it can be debilitating,” she said. “It can cause death, especially in young infants and the elderly.”

It’s also costly to have the flu when considering the time missed from work, she added.

And, she said, you can carry the flu virus and pass it on to others, even if you show no symptoms of the flu.

Another thing DuVall wanted to clear up is the myth that you can get the flu from getting a flu shot.

“That’s just not true,” she said. “The shot doesn’t contain an active virus, just a shell of the virus that tells the body to fight against it.”

She added that now is the time to get a shot if you haven’t already.

“Don’t wait any longer because there’s always the chance we’ll run out of the vaccine,” she said.

While the county has no more flu shot clinics scheduled, and some pharmacies are reporting low inventory of flu vaccines, health officials say to also check with primary care physicians, most of whom stock flu shots.

At Ray’s Pharmacy on Orcas Island, sources report that they have the flu vaccine in stock, but not a lot of it. A pharmacy clerk said they just got some in.

On Lopez Island, at the Lopez Island Pharmacy, pharmacists Rick McCoy reported that they’ve given at least 400 flu shots since Labor Day, when their supply arrived.

“We’ve had people wanting the shot and we’ve been able to fill the need so far,” he said. “And as far as we know, we haven’t seen and flu cases on Lopez.”

He also warned, however, that those who have not gotten a flu shot should do so now.

“I encourage people to get it earlier rather than later,” he said. “There’s no guarantee that we’ll be able to get more (vaccine) in, if we try to reorder.”