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Public Health urges residents to get flu shot

The Spectator - 12/5/2018

Dec. 05--BATH -- With National Influenza Vaccination Week under way, the Steuben County Public Health Department urges residents to get their flu shots.

"The flu season started early this year, with Steuben County reporting its first cases in September," said Lorelei Wagner, county Public Health education coordinator. "But it usually peaks between December and February."

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it takes about two weeks after receiving a flu shot for the immune system to build full protection. Influenza is far more than a bad cold, according to Wagner.

"Last year, 49 million Americans were diagnosed with the flu," Wagner said. "Roughly 960,000 people were hospitalized. And 79,000 people died -- that's more than the average number of people who go to the Super Bowl every year."

The best protection from the virus is an annual flu shot and especially important for people at high risk of serious flu complications, including young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and lung disease, and people aged 65 years and older.

Steuben Public Health reports a list of pharmacies in Steuben offering flu shots is available at https://tinyurl.com/shots18-19. Flu shots are also available at health care provider offices.

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