This article appeared in WSBT. Read the full story here.
The flu has killed six people in Michigan and three in Indiana already this year. Health professionals say it’s not too late to get your flu shot.
Those shots are inexpensive at your local health department.
In St. Joseph County, you can get vaccines for as little as $12 for kids. Berrien County offers a sliding scale, so you may pay nothing at all.
Both departments urge you to get the shot — especially with Christmas coming.
Guy Miller is an epidemiologist for the Berrien County Health Department. That means he keeps an eye on infectious disease and how they travel through the county.
Considering the flu can be deadly, Miller really wants you to get the vaccine.
“The flu vaccine will reduce your duration of symptoms and severity of illness,” said Miller.
Aaron Fox, a nurse with the St. Joseph County Health Department, says the flu shot doesn’t protect against all strains, just the four most common.
“It’s not 100% effective, but hey, you’re still protected from those four,” said Fox.
Miller says young people between 18 and 34 are the least likely to get the vaccine.
“Typically those adults are healthy,” said Miller. “They don’t have any problems so they think, ‘Why should I get the flu vaccine?'”
Miller says the answer is because the flu shot doesn’t just protect you — it protects people who can’t get it.
Fox says those people may be too young or too old for the vaccine or may have a compromised immune system.
With the holiday season kicking off, both of these health professionals are reminding you it’s not too late to get your flu shot.
“We have grandparents, we have newborns,” said Fox. “You’re up close and personal with your family, sometimes tensions can be high.”
“We want to be vaccinated against the flu virus so we’re spreading joy and not the flu,” said Miller.
Miller says another great way to prevent the flu is to wash your hands. Kids especially need to get into good hand washing habits because bugs love to travel around schools.