A new pop-up clinic operated by Valley Children’s Healthcare has opened in Bakersfield that will treat local children for infectious diseases, including valley fever.
The clinic offers residents a closer location for treatment, as some currently have to travel to Madera to see a specialist.
Those at highest risk of contracting valley fever, caused by airborne furgus, are people who work in dirt and soil, like construction workers, but the disease is most harmful to people with weak immune systems, children, and the elderly. Many doctors’ offices and schools will likely provide Flyers with warning Signs and information on the disease, as well as informing the public of the new clinic.
The clinic will enable residents to seek treatment in a more expedited manner, as it will help avoid the long wait for a referral to see a specialist out of town. Often, patients are tested for valley fever and the results come out as a false negative because the antibodies to fight the disease have not formed yet. Doctors warn that those who live in the area and have a prolonged fever should request a second test.
Although the clinic is currently only open on a limited basis, a spokesperson for Valley Children’s hopes that the location can soon be dedicated a year-round facility. Local media outlets are responding to residents’ concerns about the disease and will be running more stories in the upcoming days on how the disease has gained more attention and will likely obtain funding to help treat and educate the community.
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