County health department urges people to get flu shot

Posted on December 16, 2017
The McLean County Health Department is reminding people to get their flu shots, as the onset of flu outbreaks is still a few weeks away. (WJBC file photo)

 

By Patrick Baron

BLOOMINGTON – The McLean County Health Department says it’s not too late to get your flu shot.

Sue Grant with the County Health Department says central Illinois doesn’t usually see flu outbreaks until after the holidays, so the time to get vaccinated is now.

“We typically don’t see widespread influenza in our area until after the holidays when people have been together and shared their germs, so there’s absolutely still time. It takes about two weeks to build up your immunity after you’ve had a flu vaccine,” Grant explained.

Grant said children and the elderly seem to be the largest demographics of people who get the flu.

“The CDC says everyone over the age of six months should get a flu shot, but the very young and the very old are the most vulnerable,” said Grant. “Those populations is where we see the most deaths from complications of influenza.”

Grant is also asking schools to monitor the number of flu cases they see.

Patrick Baron can be reached at [email protected].

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