Flu season is in full swing in the Metro already. The Douglas County Health Department reports that since October 1st there have already been 21 confirmed cases of the flu.
Epidemiologist Ann O'Keefe says of those 21 case, some are the AH3 strain. "That's one of the ones that's more common and it's also one of the ones that causes more severe illness in certain people. So we'll be watching that."
Douglas County reported 3,658 cases of flu last year, and they say that number was probably just the tip of the iceberg since people usually just stay home and take care of themselves when they get the flu.
O'Keefe says anyone over the age of six months old should get the flu shot. "If you're not getting it because you don't think you need it personally, people should think about getting it to protect the people around them. Your family, your coworkers, anyone else you might spend time with."
Vaccination is strongly recommended for pregnant women who have a higher risk for complications, as well as people aged 65 and over, and anyone with asthma, diabetes, or chronic lung disease.