Flu Season is in Full Swing - It's not too late to get a flu shot

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – As doctor’s offices, urgent care centers and hospitals are seeing, flu season is active. Flu is one of the nation's leading causes of death, with roughly 24,000 people a year dying from flu and its complications. Latest figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show the flu hitting in all states.

While health officials note flu activity remains elevated in the US, the timing of the flu is unpredictable and can vary in different parts of the country and from season to season. Flu activity most commonly peaks in the U.S. between December and February but can continue as late as May.

“The good news,” as stated by Dr. Elizabeth Clay, Family Medicine physician, “it’s not too late to get the flu shot. Even if the flu season peaks soon, it will still be around for months.”

There are three main things you can do to be safe this flu season:

Vaccinate. Get the flu shot for yourself and everyone in your family. It’s available at your doctor’s office and many urgent care centers in our area, with many offering same-day appointments. The CDC recommends everyone older than six months, except people with severe egg allergies, get immunized. Both shot and nasal spray vaccine forms are safe and effective and rarely have side effects.

Get Treatment. If you do get the flu, your doctor or an urgent care center can prescribe antiviral medication to treat flu illness and prevent serious flu complications. Children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses are particularly vulnerable to catching the flu and experiencing complications. It’s important to treat high-risk individuals promptly to avoid hospitalization. Treatment with antiviral medication works best when begun within 48 hours of getting sick, but can still be beneficial when given later in the course of illness. These drugs can also lessen serious flu complications.

Prevention. Stay away from sick people and wash your hands frequently to reduce the spread of germs. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, and resist touching your eyes, mouth and nose. Avoid close contact with people who have the flu or symptoms and if you’re sick with the flu, stay home from work or school to prevent spreading it to others.

For more information on the flu, visit the special flu section on the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/flu/. To contact Dr. Elizabeth Clay, call Lake Norman Medical Group, Family Medicine Denver at (704) 660-4041 or online at LakeNormanMedicalGroup.com. To find a primary care doctor, visit the “Find a Doctor” link at LNRMC.com, or call 1-888-99LNRMC(56762).

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