HOUSTON – State health officials say the flu hit Texas hard last year with more than 10,000 flu-related deaths reported.
The flu in Texas typically peaks in December through February, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. But officials say now is the best time to get your shot, before the disease spreads.
In North Texas, doctors say this year’s flu season appears to be arriving earlier than usual. CBS DFW reports it is too soon to say, however, that this flu season will be longer than usual.
Preeti Sharma, a pediatric pulmonologist at Children’s Health, says her hospital is already seeing a child with the flu every couple of days.
“Get that shot,” says Dr. Sharma. “I encourage all my patients to get their flu vaccination. I vaccinate my own kids. I harass the rest of my family to get vaccinations,” adding that the vaccine is the best avenue to avoid flu complications.
“DSHS urges everyone six months old and older to get vaccinated against the flu,” notes the state’s website.
“It is particularly important for pregnant women, young children, older adults, and people with chronic health conditions, because people in those groups are at a greater risk of severe complications if they do get the flu. Flu vaccine is available now, and DSHS encourages people not to wait to protect themselves and their family by getting vaccinated as soon as possible.”
KHOU 11 spoke with Dr. Michael Chang, a pediatric infectious disease specialist with Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital Friday afternoon.
Ideally, he says the public will get their shots by the end of October, before the flu starts to spread.
“Everyone should get the flu vaccine, if they haven’t had some particular allergy to the vaccine. It does take a couple of weeks for each person to develop a full immune response to the vaccine,” said Dr. Chang.
He says one concern is that the flu can lead to dangerous, potentially fatal bacterial infections.
“There seems to be an association with getting flu disease in your lungs, which is where the flu likes to go, and having an increased risk of having an ammonia, from stephoria. Those patients can definitely have sepsis and really severe infection.” he said.
You can still get the flu, even if you’ve been vaccinated.
Experts say, though the vaccine will help minimize its effects. “If you do get the flu, the flu will not be as bad as if you were not protected,” says United States Army Captain and nurse, Jodi D. Stoafer.
Dr. Chang says the nasal spray flu vaccine has been re-formulated, to better protect against common strains. He still recommends the flu shot, which he says likely offers the best protection.
The state says Oct. 1 is this year’s #TexasFluDay – a day meant to educate the public about the flu and encourage Texans to get their flu shot.
On the web: http://TexasFlu.org