SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The state on Monday announced a new program to help Californians find local H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccine sites.
Cell phone users will be able to text the word "NO FLU" and their ZIP code to 30644 and receive vital flu-related information including alerts and the nearest vaccination location, the California Public Health Department said.
"Young people are still among the high-risk groups to experience H1N1 complications and text messaging is an ideal way to reach them," CDPH's Director Dr. Mark Horton said in a prepared statement. "In addition to reaching young people, the easy-to-use text messaging technology provides a very convenient way for all busy Californians to find their local flu vaccination site and stay healthy during the flu season."
The text messaging campaign launch coincides with National Influenza Vaccine Week, which runs through Saturday and highlights the importance of influenza vaccination beyond the holiday season.
CDPH is promoting the campaign through outdoor advertising, public service announcements and social media.
In addition to mobile devices, the same functionality is available on a Facebook application, Twitter and Web widgets.
This article originally appeared on KCRA.com.
