Get Your Flu Shot Now, CDC Urges
FRIDAY, Oct. 14 (HealthDay News) — Flu activity levels in the United States are currently low, making it the ideal time to get a flu shot, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday.
In its first “FluView” report for the 2011-2012 flu season, the federal agency also said there should be plenty of vaccine available this season because the U.S. supply is projected to be at an all-time high.
“It takes about two weeks after vaccination for the body’s immune response to fully kick in,” Dr. Joe Bresee, chief of the Influenza Epidemiology and Prevention Branch, said in a CDC news release. “It’s best to get vaccinated before activity begins so that you’ll be protected once flu season starts in your community.”
The CDC monitors flu activity in the United States year-round and publishes the FluView report every Friday from October through mid-May.
“We know from our first report for this season that influenza activity in the United States is low now, with few people going to the doctor for flu-like symptoms and few respiratory viruses testing positive for flu,” Bresee said. “Though we can’t predict the exact timing, we expect increases in influenza illness, hospitalizations and deaths in the next few weeks.”