North Georgia Health District says New Year’s resolution should be get a flu shot

Published 6:38 pm Friday, December 21, 2007

North Georgia Health District officials urge all residents in Murray and Whitfield counties to make a New Year’s resolution that is easy to keep: Get your flu shot.

If you have already gotten your flu shot, encourage any family members and friends who have not yet done so to make getting their flu shot a practical and achievable resolution that can result in a healthier 2008.

It certainly is not too late to get a flu shot. Georgia’s flu season typically begins in late December or early January and runs through March, so right now is still a good time to get vaccinated.

With symptoms that can include sudden headache, achy muscles and joints, high fever, fatigue, stuffy nose, sore throat and a persistent cough, influenza is a simple but very unpleasant and potentially serious disease. In a typical year in the U.S., an average of 36,000 people die from flu-related illnesses and several times that number become ill and/or are hospitalized.

Fortunately, we can all protect ourselves from this annual affliction by simply getting a flu shot, so contact your local health department or health care provider right away.

Also, remember to follow basic infection control measures to help prevent the spread of the flu. Such measures include covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing, staying at home when you are sick, and frequent hand washing.

For more information about influenza and flu prevention, visit www.cdc.org.