To keep the Santa Rosa Junior College community informed about current public health alerts and notifications, the Sonoma County Junior College District takes steps to protect the health and welfare of our college community, including providing information on this website. Be sure to check back periodically for updates and links to additional online resources.

ALERT:  Influenza (Flu)

In the United States, annual epidemics of influenza occur typically during the late fall through early spring. During these annual epidemics, rates of serious illness and death are highest among persons aged 65 years and older, children aged younger than 2 years, and persons of any age who have medical conditions that place them at increased risk for complications from influenza.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older as the first and most important step in protecting against this serious disease. Getting the flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available each year is always a good idea, and the protection you get from vaccination will last throughout the flu season. Although fall is the best time to get it, the vaccine usually continues to be available through early spring.

For current updates on the incidence of influenza in the U.S., please visit: www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/; for current updates in Sonoma County, including vaccine availability, please visit www.sonoma-county.org/health/topics/influenza.asp.

For additional information pertinent to SRJC students, faculty and staff, and for links to further information on influenza, please visit SRJC’s Flu Information Center: www.santarosa.edu/for_students/student-services/student-health-services/flu-information-center/. For additional Flu resources, please visit www.santarosa.edu/for students/student-services/student-health-services/flu-information center/flu-information-resources.

ALERT:  Pertussis (Whooping cough)

Pertussis (whooping cough) reached epidemic levels in California in 2010. Sonoma County in particular had very high rates of Pertussis cases relative to the rest of California and the U.S. during that period. As a result of vigorous vaccination efforts since then, no pertussis deaths have been reported in California since October 2010.

In response to the high levels of disease and death from Pertussis in California during 2010, CDPH now recommends that all Californians make sure that they are immunized against Pertussis, especially if they are in contact with infants. CDPH has issued Pertussis vaccination recommendations-2010 (PDF) for health care providers to help with this effort. In addition to this, another law was passed in California requiring an additional booster vaccine for all school aged children in the 7th through 12th grade, implemented during the 2011-2012 school year.

For a full report on Pertussis in California from April 2012, you may visit www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/immunize/Documents/PertussisReport2012-04-24.pdf.

For more Pertussis information, visit
www.cdc.gov/pertussis/about
www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Pages/Pertussis.aspx
www.cdc.gov/pertussis/clinical
www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/pertussis
www.sonoma-county.org/health/topics/pertussis.asp
Immunization Action Coalition

SRJC Student Health Services Resources

Students interested in receiving vaccines or needing care for a suspected infection, can call to make an appointment at Student Health Services: Santa Rosa Campus (707) 527-4445, Petaluma Campus (707) 778-3919, (or visit your doctor's office or clinic as part of personal regular health maintenance.)

For a list of other locations in Sonoma County for immunizations for adults and children go to: www.sonoma-county.org/health/topics/immunizations.asp

The cost of the following vaccines at Student Health Services for SRJC students currently enrolled in credit courses are:

TdaP (Tetanus and Pertussis combination booster shot)  $35
Influenza 2012-2013   $10 Students $25 Staff and Faculty (Student Health Services is out of flu vaccine as of January 2013.)
MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella combination booster shot)  $49

Other helpful resources:

CDPH "Diseases & Conditions"
World Health Organization - Health Topics A-Z
CDC- College Student Immunization Info
Vaccineinformation.org

For additional information or questions, please contact Susan Quinn at squinn@santarosa.edu.