10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 22-28, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS Some actions people might engage in on the street include scrolling on a phone or eating. These are among the many distracting tasks that can increase the risk of a crash. Following a surge of collisions late last year, all five Salinas Valley cities sent out a joint announcement urging drivers to slow down and be alert. The City of Salinas shared a traffic safety video, the first of a series. “It needs to be an ongoing education,” Mayor Dennis Donohue says. Seven pedestrians lost their lives last year to vehicle collisions in Salinas; the most recent occurred near downtown, where Shawn Allen, a 63-year-old man in a wheelchair, was struck while crossing the street. In 2025, Salinas received two grants totaling nearly $200,000 from the California Office of Traffic Safety; one focuses on education and is run by nonprofit Ecology Action; the other grant supports enforcement, including DUI checkpoints. Traffic safety has also sparked interest among youth leaders in Salinas and Greenfield. Youth Councils in both cities are working on education campaigns for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists. In Salinas, they are preparing a series of videos targeting different age groups, and coloring books for young people. They plan to release a new social media video every couple of weeks. The Greenfield Youth Council has so far shared two episodes on Instagram of its mini-series called The Pedestrian Patrol. Marisol Mederos, 17, chairs the Salinas Youth Council. She says the group hopes to broaden their reach: “We really want to collaborate with elementary schools in order for them to teach how to properly cross crosswalks.” Safety First Local cities and youth councils expand their messaging and outreach about safer streets. By Celia Jiménez Last summer, before the flu season officially kicked off, one seasonal flu, influenza A, mutated into a more contagious and stronger version, influenza A H3N2 subclade K, dubbed the “super flu.” It packs a wallop with intense symptoms that can linger longer than in the case of other flu viruses. It has resulted in the highest number of cases in 30 years. The Centers for Disease Control estimates there have been 18 million cases nationally since last fall, with 230,000 hospitalizations and more than 9,300 deaths. Three children have died, all in California. The super flu hit Europe and the East Coast hard, particularly New York, and has been making its way west. In December, Salinas Valley Health started seeing the variant appear in about 15 percent of test results. The rise in cases worried hospital officials, motivating them to initiate a public campaign to encourage more people to get vaccinated. “The most important thing we can do to protect ourselves from influenza, or the super flu, is to vaccinate,” says Dr. Orlando Rodriguez, medical director and chief medical officer of Ambulatory Services for SVH. Despite the scientific evidence that the vaccines are safe and save lives, vaccination rates have been declining. Among California health care personnel, the rate dropped to 72 percent during the 20242025 season, the lowest rate in 10 years, according to the California Department of Public Health. The CDC estimates 41 percent of California adults were vaccinated in 2024. “Unfortunately we recognize there is tremendous vaccine hesitance,” Rodriguez says, adding that the criticism of vaccines by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “has made it worse.” The current vaccine was formulated before influenza A mutated, but because the formula contains elements to fight influenza A, it may not stop someone from contracting the flu. It’s estimated to be 30-percent effective at preventing flu but it’s still protective, Rodriguez says. “Even though it’s not a perfect match, it helps prevent severe complications, hospitalizations and ultimately death,” he says. It’s especially important for young children, the elderly and pregnant women to be vaccinated. (Most pediatric deaths occur among unvaccinated children, according to CDPH.) The majority of patients Rodriguez has seen experience a runny nose, coughs, body aches, fatigue and fever. People may experience only one symptom, or they may experience a combination. Rodriguez encourages people to seek medical attention as soon as possible and get tested so they can be treated properly. There are medications that can shorten the severity and length of the virus. It’s not too late to get vaccinated, Rodriguez says. Most flu vaccine clinics take place in the fall, but because of a possible surge, SVH and the County of Monterey added free clinics the weekend of Jan. 24-25. The County’s clinic takes place 10am-1pm Saturday, Jan. 24 at Gavilan View Middle School, 18250 Van Buren Ave., Salinas. SVH’s clinic is happening 1-4pm Sunday, Jan. 25 at Northridge Mall, 796 Northridge Drive, Salinas. Free or no-cost vaccines are available at most pharmacies and at county health clinics. Gonzales Mayor Jose Rios receives a flu vaccine in October at a vaccination clinic held by Salinas Valley Health. A sixth was added for Jan. 25 to combat “super flu.” New Flu The ‘super flu’ is here; local officials say vaccines are the best defense. By Pam Marino According to Salinas Police, the number of pedestrian-related collisions decreased from 2024 to 2025 from 90 to 80. However, the number of fatalities increased from six to seven. “We recognize there is tremendous vaccine hesitance.” SALINAS VALLEY HEALTH DANIEL DREIFUSS Health& Fitness
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