Monterey County Public Health Department and Area Hospitals Urge Monterey County Residents to Take Preventative Measures Against Winter Respiratory Viruses

 

Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Mee Memorial Healthcare System, Natividad Medical Center, Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, and the Monterey County Health Department urge all residents to act now to protect themselves and their families against respiratory viruses circulating this holiday season, including influenza (“flu”), COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). An early wave of RSV and influenza activity in California has led to increased hospitalizations among children in many places across the state, placing stress on the healthcare system. 

Monterey County hospitals are not Pediatric Intensive Care Unit hospitals and are working with regional hospitals to transfer critical care pediatric patients. These critical care hospitals are also near capacity. 

In at least two Monterey County hospitals, the number of pediatric patients with respiratory symptoms visiting the Emergency Departments has more than doubled. Local hospitals and the Health Department ask for everyone’s help keeping our children and families safe heading into the winter season by following these five steps: 

    Get Vaccinated and Boosted. Influenza and COVID-19 vaccines continue to provide the best protection against severe illness and death. You can get both vaccines at the same time. Everyone 6 months of age and older should get up to date on their flu and COVID-19 vaccinations now.  

    Stay Home if You Are Sick.  When you are sick, avoid close contact with others to protect them and to take the time you need to heal.   

    Wear a Mask.  There is no vaccine for RSV. Wearing a mask can significantly slow the spread of RSV and protect babies and young children who do not yet have immunity. You can spread illness before you start feeling sick. Wearing a mask in indoor public places protect others who might be more medically vulnerable. 

    Wash Your Hands. Frequent handwashing with soap and warm water is an easy way to stay healthy and keep from spreading germs. 

    Cover Your Cough or sneeze with your elbow, arm, or a disposable tissue to help prevent the spread of winter viruses.   

Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Mee Memorial Health Care System, Natividad Medical Center, Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, and the Monterey County Health Department urge residents to take these measures to help our hospitals have the capacity to care for all Monterey County residents this winter. 

Upcoming free influenza and COVID-19 vaccination clinics for everyone 6 months of age and older: 

    November 17 from 4pm to 7pm: Bay View Academy, Lower Campus, 222 Casa Verde Way, Monterey 

    November 19 from 10 am to 4 pm: County of Monterey Health Department,1270 Natividad, Salinas 

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For more information related to this press release, please contact the individuals below: 

    Montage Health: Monica Sciuto, monica.sciuto@montagehealth.org 

    Mee Memorial Healthcare System: Elsbeth Wetherill, ewetherill@meememorial.com

    Monterey County Health Department: Karen Smith, 831-755-4639

    Natividad Medical Center: Hillary Fish, fishh@natividad.com 

    Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital: Karina Rusk, krusk@svmh.com 

ABOUT MONTAGE HEALTH 

Montage Health is the nonprofit parent company of a family of organizations dedicated to improving lives by delivering exceptional care and inspiring the pursuit of optimal health. Through its subsidiaries and its partnerships with doctors and other clinicians, healthcare and community organizations, and, most importantly community members, Montage Health is dedicated to care that is coordinated across all care settings to meet each person’s goals and needs. Montage Health’s family of companies includes Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Montage Medical Group, MoGo Urgent Care, Aspire Health, Montage Health Foundation, and Montage Wellness Center. 

ABOUT SALINAS VALLEY MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM 

Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System (SVMHS) is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the region through an integrated network of health care initiatives, services and facilities. In addition to an acute care, public district hospital licensed for 263 beds, the system includes Salinas Valley Medical Clinic, a multi-location clinic expanding access to primary and specialty care, and offers 13 urgent care locations. SVMHS is one of the area’s largest employers with a staff of more than 2000, and is a leader in providing nationally recognized quality care. Collaboration is an important operating principle for SVMHS in such key areas as our Level III NICU which is operated in a joint venture with Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford; The Madison Clinic for Pediatric Diabetes, partnership with UCSF; Aspire Health Plan, Monterey County’s only Medicare Advantage program; and Blue Zones Project Monterey County, building a community where people live longer and live heathier. For more information, visit www.svmh.com. 

ABOUT NATIVIDAD 

Natividad is a hospital and trauma center providing compassionate, high-quality health care to everyone, regardless of ability to pay. Located in Salinas, Calif., Natividad is a public health care system offering a wide range of inpatient, outpatient, emergency, diagnostic and specialty medical care for adults and children. Founded in 1886, the 172-bed medical center has more than 11,000 admissions and 53,000 emergency visits annually. Home to the area's only Level II Trauma Center, the hospital's specialized personnel, equipment and services provide a vital local community service that saves lives and keeps patients close to home. Natividad's Baby-Friendly® facility delivers 2,500 babies every year and is affiliated with UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals. It also operates an accredited Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, giving the tiniest and most fragile babies the best chance for a healthy start. Through its UCSF-affiliated Natividad Family Medicine Residency, Natividad is the only teaching hospital on the Central Coast. For more information, please call (831) 755-4111 or visit www.natividad.com.

ABOUT MEE MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM 

At Mee Memorial, our highest priority is to serve the healthcare needs of our community. This includes offering an extensive array of services with a commitment to the highest possible standards, the best available technology, and the care of skilled healthcare professionals. The Mee network includes a hospital in King City including emergency services, 25 acute care beds and 48 skilled nursing beds, and three comprehensive outpatient clinics; two adjacent to the hospital (Adult Medicine and the King City Clinic, for Internal, Pain and Family Medicine) and the Albert and Donna Oliveira Clinic, a full-service, primary care facility in the city of Greenfield. MMHS is the primary healthcare organization serving the rural communities of Southern Monterey County. Overall, our healthcare professionals serve a population of nearly 70,000 within an area spanning over 55 miles between the agricultural communities of Soledad to Bradley. For more information, visit www.meememorial.com. 

ABOUT COUNTY OF MONTEREY HEALTH DEPARTMENT 

The County of Monterey Health Department (HD) exists to enhance, protect, and improve the health of the people in Monterey County. To accomplish this, HD provides a wide variety of health-related services in the areas of public health, environmental health, behavioral health, and clinic services. HD is an accredited health department and has undergone a rigorous, multi-faceted, peer-reviewed assessment process to ensure it meets or exceeds a set of quality standards and measures. For more information on programs and initiatives visit www.mtyhd.org