ETMC-Athens urges flu vaccination

It's not hard to come by flu stories these days. Most people in Henderson County either have their own to tell or know someone who does.

Louise Graham, a registered nurse and director of infection control at ETMC-Athens, has a bit of advice for those who have not had the flu or been vaccinated against it this season: Don't just hope for the best; get a flu shot.

Contact your family doctor to schedule an influenza vaccination. In the event the vaccine is unavailable at your physician's office, contact Graham at 903-676-1107.

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends both children and adults who have not received a flu shot do so as soon as possible. In order to receive the vaccination, a person must be symptom-free when it's administered.

According to Graham, the emergency department at ETMC-Athens has seen a high number of individuals come in and test positive for influenza.

"Two weeks ago, we were seeing anywhere from 30 to 35 influenza-positive cases a day through the ER," she said. "We're not seeing quite that many now, so it is getting better. "

The patient census at ETMC-Athens is typically high this time of year, as is historically the case across the nation during the winter months. According to Graham, though, the number of admitted influenza-positive patients is relatively low.

"The ones we are admitting are those who have become dehydrated because they haven't had enough to eat or drink," she explained, "and those are children for the most part."

Typical symptoms of the influenza virus are upper respiratory problems, such as cough and congestion, along with aches and pains and fever.

For those who suspect they may have the flu, the best course of action is to see a doctor within 24 hours of symptoms beginning.

"Doctors are prescribing anti-viral drugs for flu cases, and those work best within the first 24 hours of symptom onset, " Graham explained, noting however that the anti-viral drugs can still be effective up to 48 hours after symptoms begin.

"There's nothing in the vaccine that actually causes the flu," she said. "It's an inactivated vaccine (made with a killed virus)."

About two weeks after vaccination, antibodies develop that protect against certain strains of the influenza virus.