As Covid considerations have faded, for San Quentin residents, the memories and impact from the pandemic has remained prevalent when deciding whether preventive measures to combat the influenza are safe, effective — or even necessary.
Seasonal influenza viruses are detected year-round but flu activity has usually peaked between December and February. According to WebMD, the flu affects on average 5% to 20% of the U.S. population.
“When I get a flu shot, I have symptoms. I am not sure if the shot is helping me or harming me,” resident Will Johnson said.
The Department of Health and Human Services stated the number of flu-related deaths has typically ranged from 3,000 to 49,000 Americans per flu season. A study from 2021, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that vaccinations have reduced infections by 40% to 60%. Vaccinated patients had a 26% lower risk of ICU admission and a 31% lower risk of death.
At San Quentin, California Correctional Health Care Services public health Nurse Sara said prison environments have a higher propensity for spreading the flu. She called that fact a good reason for residents to get the vaccine. “Ask your nurse or doctor questions before you get the shot. We are here to provide education.”
Flu viruses are contagious respiratory illnesses circulated via droplets from talking, coughing, or sneezing flu-afflicted persons. “The flu infects the nose, throat, and lungs and is most contagious the first three days of the illness,” the report said.
“Getting the flu vaccination sooner than later is important because it takes two weeks before it is effective,” San Quentin’s CCHCS infection control nurse Katie McCarver, RN.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, complications of the flu could worsen chronic medical conditions.
“Sometimes getting sick with the flu can exacerbate pre-existing conditions such as congestive heart failure, asthma, diabetes, which are common chronic conditions at San Quentin,” Nurse Sara said.
Many residents said they received flu shots whenever the institution offered them, but others said they believed the shot unnecessary. Some residents said they felt uninformed and uncertain about the effectiveness of the flu vaccine.
“I get my flu shot every year,” resident Carlos Alas said. “For three days I feel effects from the shot and once it passes I feel great and have peace of mind for the remainder of the flu season.”
Similar to public sentiments outside the walls of San Quentin, residents held the common misconceptions of the flu as not serious and of vaccines as unsafe.
Residents voiced that the flu vaccine gave them flulike symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control report stated vaccines, like any medical product, could cause side effects, but the flu vaccine effects are mild and go away by themselves. Some side effects from the vaccine include headache, fever, nausea, and muscle aches.
Resident Mike G. said after taking the vaccine once and feeling ill afterwards, he did not want to receive another shot. “I took the vaccine once and felt terrible; I do not take it because it got me sick.”
The Centers for Disease Control said the shot contained dead viruses and could not cause flu illness because the body would create antibodies to fight the flu. Nurse Sara said residents with egg allergies can ask for “Flucelvax,” a cell culture-based vaccine safe for most allergies.
Nurse Sara cautioned about other respiratory viruses that have circulated during past flu seasons, such as rhino virus, respiratory syncytial virus, human para influenza, and human metapneumovirus.
“The institution offers current Covid and flu vaccines,” Nurse Sara said with the recommendation that residents should ask the institution’s care team for more information.
Nurse Sara said San Quentin medical staff held a competition in which residents could submit artwork for a flu season poster that the CCHCS would post throughout the CDCR system. She said only a few San Quentin artists submitted works this year but she remained hopeful for more submissions next year.
“I felt we were heavily pressured to receive the flu vaccine so I was skeptical on its efficiency,” resident Alexander Yohn said. “For me there is not enough legitimate information to the effectiveness of vaccines.
