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As we enter the fall and winter season, respiratory viruses like the flu, COVID-19 and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) can begin to spread more easily. These illnesses can cause serious complications especially for vulnerable populations such as infants, older adults, pregnant individuals and those with underlying health conditions. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to stay healthy and to protect the community.

Stay Healthy for the Moments That Matter

• Don’t let illness ruin your holiday plans — protect your time with family and friends.
• Avoid missed work or school due to preventable illness.
• Keep vulnerable loved ones safe from serious complications.
• Reduce strain on hospitals and clinics during the busy winter season.

Vaccines are Your Best Defense

Stay up to date on recommended vaccines.

• Flu vaccine — Recommended for everyone 6 months and older
• COVID-19 vaccine — in California, anyone 6 months and older who desire a vaccine, or are at risk can get a vaccine.
  • An updated vaccine is strongly recommended for:
    • Adults > 65
    • Anyone > 6 months who has never received a COVID-19 vaccine
    • Individuals with underlying health conditions
  • RSV vaccines —
    • recommended for infants under 8 months
    • high risk toddlers
    • pregnant individuals (32-36 weeks of pregnancy)
    • Adults 75+ and some high risk adults age 50-74

Ready to take action?

When you’re ready, you can schedule a vaccination appointment with your health provider or at California’s Vaccination Site: myturn.ca.gov.

Additional information about recommended vaccines is available on the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) Public Health for All webpage you can visit by clicking here. 

Simple Habits can Offer Added Protection

• Wash your hands often
• Cover your coughs and sneezes
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Stay home if you’re feeling unwell
• Consider wearing a mask in certain settings or situations
• When and Why to Wear a Mask or Respirator

If you have symptoms like fever, cough, or sore throat, get tested — either at home or through your provider.

If you test positive, discuss treatment options with your provider. Antiviral treatments work best when started early. 

Stay Informed!

The California Department of Public Health created a Respiratory Virus Hub webpage to provide information about levels of respiratory illness in the community and basics of what can be done for added protection. Read more by clicking here.   

Explore more resources:

• CDPH
  • Toolkit and Resources
• HCA
• Respiratory Virus Dashboard

About Dr. Julie Johnson
Dr. Julie Johnson is board certified in Family Medicine. She is the Medical Director for the Family Health Clinics in the Public Health Services Division of the OC Health Care Agency.

(Santa Ana, CA) — The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) has confirmed a case of measles in a toddler who recently travelled domestically. The HCA is notifying individuals who were exposed to the child at a health care setting. No additional community exposure is suspected as the child’s family was isolating during the contagious period.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been 1,514 confirmed cases of measles in the United States this year, with 23 new cases reported in the past two weeks. This represents the highest annual case count in more than 30 years. 

“Measles is a highly contagious virus that can cause severe illness such as pneumonia, brain swelling and even death, especially in young children who are not protected,” said Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, County Health Officer. “In recent years, approximately 1 in 8 people diagnosed with measles in the US have required hospitalization. Among children under 5, that number rises to 1 in 5.”

Common symptoms include fever, cough, red watery eyes, and a rash that typically begins on the head   before spreading down to the rest of the body. Measles is the most contagious disease known, and spreads very easily through the air and by direct contact with an infected person. People are contagious from approximately four days before the rash begins through four days after the rash appears. 

Anyone who suspects they may have measles should call their medical provider before arriving at the medical office, to avoid exposing others. Clinicians should immediately report any suspected measles cases to the OC Health Care Agency for guidance and testing coordination. 

Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent measles. About measles immunization:

• Over 800 million doses of the MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccine have been administered worldwide. Decades of research and real-world experience show that the vaccine is highly effective at preventing serious illnesses like measles, mumps, and rubella.
• While no medical intervention is completely without risk, most side effects from the MMR vaccine are mild - like a sore arm or low fever. Serious reactions are rare, and the vaccine’s protection against dangerous disease far outweigh the risks.
• Public health agencies around the world, including the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO), continue to monitor vaccine safety closely.
• The CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practice and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recommend MMR vaccination to protect against measles, mumps and rubella.
• Immunizing household members including children, adolescents and adults is the best way to protect infants who are too young to receive the MMR vaccine.
• Infants should receive their first MMR vaccine at 12-15 months of age. The second dose of MMR is given at 4 to 6 years of age before going to school.
• Measles is found in many parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
• Children 6 to 12 months of age who are traveling internationally are recommended to receive a dose of MMR vaccine prior to travel, to decrease their risk of infection.
• Children 12 months and older as well as adults should receive two doses, at least 28 days apart, before travel if not already vaccinated.

For more information about measles, visit www.cdc.gov/measles orwww.ochealthinfo.com/measles.

ABOUT THE OC HEALTH CARE AGENCY
The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) is a regional interdisciplinary health jurisdiction and an accredited health department, charged with protecting and promoting individual, family and community health through partnership and coordination of public and private sector resources. Visit www.ochealthinfo.com to learn more about services and resources.

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Translations: Arabic | Chinese (Simplified / Traditional) | Farsi | Korean | Russian | Spanish | Vietnamese

A case of measles has been confirmed in an Orange County resident, an unvaccinated toddler, who had recently traveled domestically. The Orange County Health Care Agency's Communicable Disease Control Division (CDCD) is reaching out to identified contacts.

Measles is an acute viral illness typically presenting with fever, cough, coryza, and conjunctivitis, followed 3-5 days later by a rash. The maculopapular rash typically begins on the face and spreads down the torso and out to the extremities. The incubation period for measles ranges from 7-21 days after exposure, and individuals are infectious from 4 days prior to rash onset until 4 days after rash onset. Measles is highly contagious and spreads via airborne transmission.

Individuals are presumed to be immune to measles if they were 1) born prior to 1957 OR 2) have received two doses of measles-containing vaccine OR 3) have a documented positive IgG titer OR 4) documentation of prior disease. More info...

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Recreational use of nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is an emerging public health concern across the country and in Orange County (OC). While nitrous oxide is traditionally used in medical, automotive or culinary purposes, recent reports and observations indicate a rise in its misuse as an inhalant for short-term euphoric effects.

In response to this growing concern, the Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an ordinance banning the sale or distribution of nitrous oxide for recreational use. This report is presented to inform a broad range of stakeholders about the issue and the county’s proactive measures to address it. To read, click https://tinyurl.com/HCANitrousOxide. To open a PDF version of the report to download please click here. 

Please provide your feedback on the Nitrous Oxide Report by filling out a short survey you can access by clicking here https://tinyurl.com/OCNitrousOxideFeedback or by scanning the QR Code.
 

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This Suicide Prevention Month, I would like to slow down and take a moment to talk about some ways our well-being, our stories, and our futures can be impacted. I know that life can feel overwhelming. Some days are harder than others, and it’s okay to not feel okay. If you’re carrying pain, sadness, or thoughts that feel too heavy to hold alone, please know this: you are not alone, and there is help.

Depression can look different for everyone. You might feel persistently sad, numb, or even irritable. You may lose interest in things you once enjoyed, struggle with sleep, or feel constantly tired. Some people experience changes in appetite, difficulty concentrating, or a sense of hopelessness or guilt. Sometimes, these feelings of emptiness can lead to thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

If any of this resonates with you, please understand: you are not broken. These are signs of suffering, not signs of weakness. Suffering can be eased—with support, with care, and with time.

Reaching out for help is one of the bravest things you can do. Whether it’s talking to a friend, a therapist or doctor, or calling a crisis line, that first step can open the door to healing. You don’t have to go through this alone.

If you or a loved one need immediate assistance, the 24-Hour Suicide and Crisis Hotline is a call away at 988.

• 988 Lifeline  

You can find suicide prevention resources for teens, veterans, the Trevor Project and more on our Light Up Hope OC website which inspires hope. 

• Light Up Hope OC

If you need help navigating, you can contact a resource navigator, or start with a wellness check-in, or simply search resources in Orange County at OC Navigator.

You are not a burden. You are human—and you are worthy of support, healing, and hope.

This month, and every month, we stand with you. Let’s keep the conversation going, and let’s keep choosing life—together.

About Dr. Atur Turakhia
Atur Turakhia, M.D. is a physician who has Board-Certification from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in both general Psychiatry as well as with subspecialty Board Certification in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. His role in the OC Health Care Agency and, more specifically, in Behavioral Health Services, is as the Associate Medical Director for Children and Youth Services. Not only has he been recognized by peers in his region as a 3-time Physician of Excellence, he is also an experienced leader, educator, collaborator, mentor, and team-builder.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory about a new outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). EVD is a severe illness and is often fatal.

Currently, no suspected, probable, or confirmed EVD cases related to this outbreak have been reported in the United States or outside of the DRC. The risk of spread to the United States is considered low at this time. As a precaution, this Health Advisory summarizes CDC recommendations for U.S. public health departments, clinical laboratories, and healthcare workers about potential EVD case identification, testing, and biosafety considerations in clinical laboratories.

On September 8, 2025, CDC issued a Travel Health Notice for people traveling to the DRC. CDC recommends that all travelers to the affected health zones in DRC avoid contact with ill people during travel and monitor themselves for symptoms of EVD while in the outbreak area and for 21 days after leaving. Travelers who develop symptoms during this time should self-isolate and contact local health authorities or a clinician. At this time, CDC is not recommending additional assessments or monitoring of travelers arriving from DRC by the jurisdictional health departments unless mentioned in the existing VHF guidance provided below.

Full Advisory: https://www.cdc.gov/han/php/notices/han00524.html?ACSTrackingID=DM150467&ACSTrackingLabel=HAN 524 - Health Advisory (General Public)&deliveryName=DM150467