After what felt like an endless summer, temperatures took their coldest dive of the fall season over the past week . That means many people may now start thinking about flu shots.  Cases of the flu were noted as early as late August, according to Shaun Lynch, a pharmacist at Terry’s.

“People are getting the flu earlier,” Lynch said. Flu season typically runs from October to March. This is the earliest season recorded, he said.

“We have heard from facilities that the flu has been pervasive, but we have yet to see it in a substantial way,” said Mark Cain, CEO of Tennova LaFollette Medical Center.  “Testing for the flu has been strong but positive results have been relatively low.”

All people over the age of six months should be vaccinated for the flu under Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines. People under the age of 65 are given a normal dose of the vaccine while those over 65 are administered a triple dose, Lynch said. “The triple dose gives three times the amount of the flu serum, which boosts the body’s immune response,” according to Lynch.

Being vaccinated against the flu can be critical for seniors due to the complications the illness can cause including hospitalization or death, the CDC advised.

“Vaccinations are also available free of charge at the Tennova campus in LaFollette, free of charge, thanks to a grant from the LaFollette Medical Foundation,” Cain said.

People with flu can spread it to others up to about six feet away, according to the CDC.

Adults are most contagious in the first three to four days after their illness begins. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to five to seven days after becoming sick. Children and some people with weakened immune systems may pass the virus for longer than seven days.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 11/16/2018-6AM)