It's hard to think flu when everything around us says summer. It is still biking, running and strolling season – not sniffling, sneezing and coughing season.
But the flu has already arrived in North Texas. Smartphone app SickWeather tracks illnesses using social media and direct posts. It shows cases of flu in several areas of the Metroplex.
North Texas pharmacies are gearing up and have already received doses of this year's vaccine.
“Walgreens gets it in August. This year we got it in early August and we were giving them then,” said Christina Harbison, pharmacy manager for the Walgreens at Cedar Springs and Oak Lawn.
Walgreens feels so strongly about the flu vaccine that each employee gets one for free. NBC 5 was there as employee Henry Campos received a flu vaccine for the very first time.
“I’m only getting it because I just had the baby,” Campos explained.
Walgreens sees the vaccine as insurance against employees missing work.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
“If you get immunized you aren’t out for a week with the flu, so it pays off in the end,” Harbison said.
This year's vaccine covers strains of the virus researchers think will show up. But even if other strains appear the vaccine is still important.
“They did come up with a new formulation for 2016 and 2017, but it’s just too early to tell on how effective it is. However, if it is not as effective as what they presume, it will still help with the symptoms. If you still get the flu it won’t last a week. It will last maybe one to two days,” Harbison explained.
And because it takes about two weeks to kick in, North Texans might as well start thinking of the end of summer as flu shot season.
Find a location to receive a flu shot by visiting the following link: http://www.dshs.texas.gov/immunize/flu.shtm#where.
