Respiratory virus season is officially underway in Mesa County, which can have a serious affects on the health of employees.

Three viruses to pay attention to are influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. All three are transmitted in a similar way: through droplets from a sneeze or cough.

If a case becomes severe, it can lead to hospitalization. Protecting individuals and families from the worst outcomes of these preventable viruses helps keep the workforce healthy. Mesa County Public Health has resources available to prevent cases and minimize the spread.

The new formulation of COVID-19 and flu vaccines are available in our public health clinic. Getting an updated vaccine is important to ensure your body develops immunity to the most recent strains of these viruses. The RSV vaccine will also be available in our Clinic for the following groups:

● Adults 75+

● Adults 60+ who are high risk

● Infants between 2-8 months

● Pregnant women between 32-36 weeks of pregnancy

“All vaccines protect the person who received it and those around them. They are also one of the best tools we have to protect our most vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those who are immunocompromised,” said Ali Sanchez, clinical director at Mesa County Public Health.

The MCPH team wants to make it easy for your staff to be protected. Walk-ins for the flu vaccine will be accepted in our public health clinic at 510 29 ½ Road on the remaining Thursdays in October from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on October 10, 17, 24 and 31. The flu vaccine is available for anyone 6 months or older.

MCPH offers convenient illness testing for adults and children ages 5 and older. One of the tests is a respiratory panel which tests for Influenza A and B, COVID-19 and RSV with a single nasal swab. It is a PCR test that has a higher level of sensitivity and is more accurate than a rapid home test. We process the test on-site and the results are available in approximately 24 hours.

“We’re offering this new service so people can know what illness they have in order to better protect our community as a whole,” said Sanchez. The clinic offers rapid strep testing as well using a throat swab. Treatments will be available for those who test positive.

Call (970)248-6906 to schedule or request an appointment by emailing  publichealthclinic@mesacounty.us.

Bring your ID and insurance card when you come for vaccination and testing services. The clinic accepts all major health insurance plans. For those without insurance, we will work with you so cost is not a barrier.

We recommend sharing these resources with your employees to help be proactive this respiratory virus season. Together we can all do our part to care for each other and stay healthy heading into winter.

Paige Hauptmann is a multimedia communication intern for Mesa County Public Health. For more information call (970)248-6900 or visit mesacounty.us/public-health.