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Concerns of Flu Case Increases in the Coastal Bend
Posted: Jan 3, 2013 5:33 PM by Rachel Cole -- rcole@kristv.com
Updated: Jan 3, 2013 7:10 PM
CORPUS CHRISTI -- This year's flu season seems to be affecting more people than last year. Doctor Alicia Hart, who works in the emergency room at Spohn Memorial Hospital says more and more people are getting the virus because they simply are not getting vaccinated.
"The sad thing is the vaccine takes care of Flu 'A' and Flu 'B' and the H1N1 as well were just not seeing people get the vaccine," Dr. Hart said. From an emergency standpoint people are coming in because they're not feeling well, doctors offices get overwhelmed so people are much more coming in."
She says the increase is in patients of all ages and that most people opt out because they're afraid and it's not because of the needle.
"Patients say I'm going to get the flu from the flu shot or I don't like to get the shot because it always gives me the flu, you can't get the flu from the flu vaccine it's a killed virus," Dr. Hart said.
Doctor Hart says if you don't get the vaccine, there's only one thing you can do and that's take medication but even then, it's not a cure.
"The problem with tamiflu is it doesn't cure the flu in the first place it has side effects, it reduces the severity and the duration of the symptoms," Dr. Hart said. "There's a window in which you have time to take it to start taking it after your symptoms develop and because we're seeing so much flu were running out of supply."
Tamiflu can still be found around the area but some stores have tamiflu on back order. In the end, the best way to avoid getting sick, is to get the flu shot. If you haven't gotten one, it's not too late.
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