Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Cynthia Morrow said there are signs that the flu season is upon us. Morrow said there is one laboratory confirmed case of the flu in Onondaga County, and she's hearing reports from doctors offices about unconfirmed cases.
Morrow said it's a good time for central New Yorkers to get their flu vaccine. She also said this year's vaccine may offer more protection than those in the past, which targeted three flu strains.
Fall brings many great things—the leaves begin to change color, apples are ripe for the picking — but on the other end of the spectrum, fall also brings something that nobody looks forward to — flu season. A simple flu shot, which is easy to get, may equip people with all the immunity tools they need to fight off the flu. But surprisingly, the majority of people don’t take advantage of it.
This week on Take Care, Dr. Joseph Bresee discusses how the flu shot works and why people should get it. Dr. Bresee is the chief of the Epidemiology and Prevention Branch at the Centers for Disease Control, and helps create the yearly vaccine he believes more people should be receiving.
Every year at this time, public health officials encourage Americans to get a flu vaccine, but the majority of people choose not to have a flu shot.Lorraine Rapp and Linda Lowen, hosts of WRVO's health and wellness show Take Care, recently spoke with Dr. Joseph Bresee of the Centers for Disease Control about how the vaccine works to prevent the flu, and why the CDC recommends it.
The number of parents opting out of having their kids vaccinated against whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is on the rise, according to a recent report. This is resulting in an increase in whooping cough cases statewide.
In 2012, New York state saw the highest number of whooping cough cases in decades, with more than 3,000 cases confirmed statewide.