It’s that time of year again: Time to get a flu shot
The holiday spirit isn’t the only thing in the air this time of year.
With all the coughing and sneezing the cold weather brings, germs are as prolific as twinkling lights.
Flu season is already underway, and according to a new report by Tarrant County Public Health, it’s back with a vengeance.
As Star-Telegram reporter Bill Hanna notes, flu-like illnesses reported from patient visits in Tarrant County increased from 6.9 percent to 9.8 percent during the first week of December.
During that same period, the percentage of positive flu tests increased from 25.6 percent to 33.2 percent.
And the number of cases is only expected to grow. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu activity peaks between December and February, meaning the risk of contracting the illness will remain high well into the new year.
Tarrant County reported its first two flu-related deaths this week. Both victims had underlying health problems.
The virus is most serious for vulnerable populations including very young children, seniors and the elderly, pregnant and postpartum women, the sick and residents of nursing facilities.
Still, the fact remains that anyone can contract and spread the flu — and it’s not the kind of gift one wants to give or receive this holiday season.
In early December, the CDC cautioned Americans that the most commonly distributed vaccine does not protect against new and more virulent strains of the virus.
But that doesn’t mean preventative measures are not worthwhile. Getting a shot is still the best protection, and health officials say it will likely reduce the severity of symptoms for those who do end up catching the virus.
The DFW region spent much of the fall in a panic over a possible, albeit highly unlikely Ebola outbreak. Throughout the scare, doctors and public health officials were warning about the high incidence of flu and the need to protect against an illness that is in many cases preventable.
They were right to do so. Get your flu shot.
This story was originally published December 12, 2014 at 7:39 PM with the headline "It’s that time of year again: Time to get a flu shot."