Doctors Urge Patients To Protect Themselves For Possible Flu Influx
By: Marlisa Goldsmith
Updated: January 29, 2012
"The flu season actually probably starts around October or November and by textbook, can go into May," explains Randy King.
So around this time of year it is pretty typical to see several people fighting this common battle of influenza, but this year has been a little different.
"We have not seen a large number of cases of the flu," King says.
Randy King is a nurse practitioner who practices in Throckmorton and Taylor county.
He says, "We've seen some scattered cases, but it hasn't really been endemic."
King attributes this to the fact that the Big Country has had hurt immunization.
"Where a large enough people of the community has been getting immunized to where you're not going to have that kind of dominoing effect, where multiple people just continually contract the virus," King says.
Though this may be true, doctors are still warning patients to be aware of what is to come as we approach the peak of flu season.
"It's still not too late if there is flu vaccine available to them to get vaccinated," says King.
Many doctors plan on seeing a huge increase in cases of the flu in February and March and want everyone to be protected, particularly the elderly and young children.
"Well we just worry about that population because their immunity is not as strong as ours are that are healthy," says Jodie Arrett, a physician assistant at Hendrick Medical Center.
While doctors and nurse practitioners are happy with the low number of flu cases they've seen this year, they are still prepared for what may soon hit.
Arrett says, "We're ready for it and we're ready to take care of those who are ill, but no, we would prefer it to not test positive."
So around this time of year it is pretty typical to see several people fighting this common battle of influenza, but this year has been a little different.
"We have not seen a large number of cases of the flu," King says.
Randy King is a nurse practitioner who practices in Throckmorton and Taylor county.
He says, "We've seen some scattered cases, but it hasn't really been endemic."
King attributes this to the fact that the Big Country has had hurt immunization.
"Where a large enough people of the community has been getting immunized to where you're not going to have that kind of dominoing effect, where multiple people just continually contract the virus," King says.
Though this may be true, doctors are still warning patients to be aware of what is to come as we approach the peak of flu season.
"It's still not too late if there is flu vaccine available to them to get vaccinated," says King.
Many doctors plan on seeing a huge increase in cases of the flu in February and March and want everyone to be protected, particularly the elderly and young children.
"Well we just worry about that population because their immunity is not as strong as ours are that are healthy," says Jodie Arrett, a physician assistant at Hendrick Medical Center.
While doctors and nurse practitioners are happy with the low number of flu cases they've seen this year, they are still prepared for what may soon hit.
Arrett says, "We're ready for it and we're ready to take care of those who are ill, but no, we would prefer it to not test positive."
