Will, Grundy health officials: Holiday travel increases chance of flu

With most of the flu season still to come, getting a flu vaccination now can still protect people from illness this season, they said.

Past year was particularly low with only 236 of 31,080 students getting a $10 flu vaccination at the student health center.

The flu season in the United States, as well as in many other Northern Hemisphere countries, is off to a slow start this year. The CDC recommends anyone more than 6 months old receive a flu vaccine every year. It continues to maintain that vaccination is “the safest, longest-lasting and most effective way to prevent influenza”. Angel said one of the biggest problems with influenza is that people who are infected can spread the virus for a day or two before they begin to develop symptoms and feel sick themselves.

Despite the warmer-than-usual weather, tis the season not only to be jolly, but to be on the lookout for viruses that cause colds and flu. One of the most common, and most unsafe, of these is pneumonia. People in high-risk groups are at increased risk for having serious flu‐related complications, such as hospitalization and death. Since, it has proven benefits; the report suggested that the flu vaccination messages that have been so well communicated in Mexico should be spread to Latinos and everyone else in California as well. The health risks are even greater for the elderly suffering from respiratory diseases.

“The closer the match between the circulating strains causing disease and the virus strains in the vaccine, the better the protection against influenza”, Gruber says.

So if you’re pregnant, make sure you get your flu shot. Each year, a flu vaccine is released that is specially created to combat the specific influenza viruses that are believed to be the most prevalent that season. This year, the vaccine was manufactured to protect against two A types of flu – H1N1 and H3N2 – and influenza B viruses, according to the CDC. Tim Murphy (R-PA) and Diana DeGette (D-CO)-sent a letter to Dr. Nicole Lurie, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the Department of Health and Human Services, expressing concern about the age and effectiveness of the nation’s stockpile of pre-pandemic vaccines.

In 2012, 47,977 of 118,903 students across 192 schools got the flu vaccine, according to the survey. “Influenza viruses can change from year to year, due to different subtypes and strains that circulate each year”, said Gruber.

The team’s research – which tested mice – found that old mice that never received the flu vaccine contracted other diseases sooner than their vaccinated counterparts, and, when they did get the flu, the development of those diseases was sped up.

“Flu vaccines are encouraged for everyone, especially for those who have contact with the more vulnerable population”, Hill said.

“It is important to protect yourself and your loved ones from the flu, especially as you gather with family and friends during the holidays”, said Barton County Health Director Shelly Schneider.