Flu Shot 2015: Why This Year’s Flu Season Will Be Different

The flu season is upon us once again and the Madison County Health Department is trying to combat the influenza virus before it arrives in our area. For further information regarding the “Flu Drive-Thru Clinic”, please contact Chad Coffey at (828)426-8461.

September 20- The Hardin County Health Department reminds everyone that the best way to prevent the flu is by getting vaccinated. Those most susceptible to the flu include children under the age of 5, adults over the age of 65, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.

Johnson County Public Health will be offering weekly flu clinics every Tuesday through the month of October.

I met with Jennifer Hadley, the Director of Infection Prevention at Dunes Surgical Hospital, and she says everyone 6 months and older should get vaccinated, especially people who care for kids. The USA market will receive somewhere between 171 to 179 million doses for the 2015-2016 flu season. “Quadrivalent” vaccines, which protect against the same three viruses as the trivalent vaccine and a second B virus are also available.

“The flu vaccine is administered by health department staff under the canopy while you remain in your vehicle”, Bumbalough said.

Undated – While last year’s flu vaccine was not a good match for the strains of virus out there, this year’s flu vaccine is 60 percent effective.

Flu season is quickly approaching and health officials are optimistic that this year’s flu vaccine will be more effective than last year’s. Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread it to others.

This year, the Centers for Disease Control thinks their vaccine is going to work better.

According to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), flu season can begin in October and last through March in the Buckeye State, but sporadic cases appear all year long. Consequently, 2,399 Boone County residents were feeling the aches and fatigue of the flu, many more than the 641 residents from the previous year.