With the fall season upon us, health officials say it's not too early to start getting flu shots.
Health officials say even after you get a flu vaccine, it takes a couple weeks for it to start working. So, they say now is the perfect time to get the shot before flu season starts.
"We started about two weeks ago," said Dr. Rebecca hopper with the Deaconess Clinic in Henderson.
Dr. Hopper says the Deaconess Clinic in Henderson is already giving out flu vaccines.
"We haven't identified any flu for sure," Dr. Hopper said. "We have had people with flu-like symptoms and the important thing to remember is if you do have flu-like symptoms, you want to get to your doctor sooner rather than later."
And those symptoms you need to look out for: "Fever and cough, muscle aches, generalized weakness, headache," said Director of Communicable Disease Control at the Vanderburgh Co. Health Dept. Denise Cory.
The Vanderburgh County Health Department says, due to low demand for adult vaccines, they're just offering flu shots or nasal mist to children age six months through age 18 this year.
"Even if someone gets their vaccine now, they're not going to be considered protected until a couple weeks from now." said Cory.
Health officials say it's important to vaccinate early. Doctors say the flu season lasts from October to March or April.
They tell us, with last year's mild Winter, the flu hit late last season, but they say, how the upcoming flu season will affect people is difficult to predict.
"It's hard to say how this winter will shake out to be but I think it's good to be prepared," said Dr. Hopper.
Health officials say you should not get the vaccine if you have a severe allergy to eggs, or if you have a severe respiratory disease.
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