Flu Season Outlook

By: Arthur Mondale/Eyewitness News 9 | WNCT
Published: January 17, 2008

According to the Department of Health the flu season, peaks at different times year to year.
Last year it was December and the year before that in February.
This year things are getting started a little more slowly...but experts say make sure you get a flu shot.
“A lot of people say I don't take the flu vaccine because I've never had the flu-I've never had the flu and I don't take vaccine-that to me is like saying I don't wear my seat belt because I've never been in a car accident,” said Dr. John Morrow, Director of Greenville’s Department of Health.
According to Morrow 20-percent of us in the Tarheel state will come down with the flu.
The only way to prevent it--get a flu shot and wash your hands often.
“The true influenza is a serious illness. It usually knocks healthy young people down for several days to a week and may take weeks to recover and kills a lot of people particularly elderly,” said Morrow.
Symptoms can range from muscle aches to headaches and fever. And research shows within our state it's on the rise.
“The state is telling us that the rate of the flu is just starting to pick up,” said Morrow.
The state keeps track of data from private and public offices.
While those reports seem low now, you can expect them to increase in the weeks to come.
And the kids in our schools are particularly at risk.
Charla, Holbrook, is Director of School Health Services for Pitt County Memorial Hospital, “We try not to prevent the disease itself and other diseases but we know we cannot prevent all those, so our major objective at that point becomes preventing the spread of illness among students in the school setting,” she said.
Morrow warns, “In North Carolina we usually see flu in January, February, March. But we've seen it as late as May, so getting the flu vaccine is still a good idea even at this time of year."
So what do you do if you get the flu.
According to the State Health Department there are only two FDA approved anti-viral medications on the market to treat it.
Tami Flu and Relenza.
But as Dr. Morrow says a flu vaccination is the best choice.
You can get a flu shot at your local health department, most of the time without an appointment.
It will cost about $20 for a shot.