Fall Viruses Vs. SFCHC's Knowledge, Understanding, and Trust

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It’s fall again (how did that happen so fast?), and time to protect yourself against winter viruses:

• The flu is as present as always.
• RSV continues spreading in SoCal.
• People are still testing positive for Covid-19.

Any of these could still cause serious illness, or at least get in the way of going to work or staying in school. So with fall also comes a reminder to get yourself and your family vaccinated.

Sometimes, however, information about vaccines can be hard to find. Or there’s so much information that it’s hard to tell what’s relevant to your specific needs. Or there’s conflicting information – how do you know what’s accurate?

The answer is SFCHC. You already trust us with comprehensive care and reliable health education. We’re happy to help you sift through everything to get the answers and protection you need.

COVID: The Big Shot

Covid-19 is still spreading and creating new variants. But the best defense against it hasn’t changed: protect yourself and your family with vaccinations. Vaccinating against Covid is still proven to lower both the risk of infection and Covid’s severity if you get it. Contact your local pharmacy to schedule Covid boosters for everyone in your family.

If you’re not sure how to get your vaccine, call SFCHC at 818-963-5690 for assistance.

You can also still protect yourself and others using the same precautions we know by heart:

• Wearing masks in crowded indoor spaces
• Washing hands or using hand sanitizer often
• Practicing social distancing
• Isolating at home if you feel sick

This spring, the CDC announced a policy of shared clinical decision-making about the vaccine with providers. This change helps ensure that children will still have access to the vaccine.

"Children are supposed to get out there and play, touch, explore…it's an important part of their development. And one of the best things we can do is provide them with a vaccine to protect them while they're exposed."

- Dr. Anastasia Williams, SFCHC Medical Director of Pediatric Services

Flu: The Veteran

The flu vaccine is still important for everyone in your family. It even helps your body fight Covid-19. The annual vaccine, designed each year by the World Health Organization, protects against 3 to 4 strains of flu. These strains are chosen by researching and predicting which ones will be spreading when our flu season hits. The resulting vaccine prevents millions of illnesses and thousands of hospitalizations and deaths from flu.¹ SFCHC provides updated flu vaccines for all patients aged 6 months or older.

If your child does catch the flu, watch for any of these symptoms:

• a fever for 2 days or more
• difficulty catching their breath
• a cold lasting more than a week

If you see them, seek care from your child's pediatrician or family doctor. If your child stops breathing and they're gasping for air, call 911.

With any respiratory illness, it's important for infants to stay hydrated. If they can't wet their diaper every 8 to 10 hours, it's a sign they’re dehydrated, so call your doctor. If your baby is crying nonstop, called inconsolable irritability, call your doctor or go to urgent care.

For questions about vaccines or possible flu symptoms, call SFCHC at 818-963-5690.

Parents have nothing to fear from vaccines. "In my 25 years of practicing medicine, I do not know anyone, particularly any child, who has died from the flu vaccine. I don't know any person who has died from the Covid vaccine. Not one," Dr. Williams says. "I know several families who have lost children from the flu. I know many children who have been hospitalized because of the flu…I think it's clear that the benefits of being vaccinated clearly outweigh the risks of not being vaccinated."

RSV: The New Kid

Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, has the same symptoms as the other illnesses we’ve discussed:

• fever
• cough
• headache
• fatigue
• sore throat
• runny nose
• shortness of breath
• diarrhea

However, it can be very dangerous for babies. RSV is the number-one cause of infant hospitalizations in the U.S.¹ If a baby is breathing fast, has trouble feeding, or is pulling in the muscles between their ribs, their condition could be serious.

To protect babies younger than 8 months old, babies born during this RSV season, or babies entering their first season, get them vaccinated. SFCHC’s clinic location offers the vaccine for pediatric patients of all ages. Pregnant moms can also get vaccinated to give their babies protective antibodies.

The RSV vaccine is also recommended for adults over age 75. This extends to adults aged 60 to 75 who are at increased risk (from a weakened immune system, etc). The vaccine isn’t necessary every season. But if you or a family member starts wheezing, don’t ignore it. Contact your provider right away to find out if it’s RSV.

Help your family have a great fall by getting vaccines for everyone over 6 months old. San Fernando Community Health Center helps both insured and uninsured individuals get vaccinated.

Call 818-963-5690 to schedule an appointment with a caring, knowledgeable provider today!

¹ Rubin, Z. [@rubin_allergy]. (n.d.). Posts [Instagram profile]. Instagram. Retrieved November 9, 2025, from https://www.instagram.com/rubin_allergy/

Author

Heather Hillstrom For several years, Heather Hillstrom has proudly provided copywriting and videography services to support SFCHC's mission of compassionate care for all who need it. She gained much of her experience and education at prominent advertising and marketing firms, with clients in healthcare, real estate, medical technology, and environmental products and activism, among others. Her writing portfolio includes DVD/Blu-ray bonus features for Paramount’s RANGO and Disney’s LOST, nearly all the content for the latter’s companion website Lost University, and a radio and television campaign that aired during the Olympics. She wrote on the multi-award-winning web series NONE IN THE OVEN and her feature script HIT OR STAND was a Second Rounder at Austin Film Festival and a PAGE Awards quarterfinalist. Many of her projects and awards can be viewed at www.hungrypictures.com.