Flu cases remain relatively low in Lincoln and Lancaster County, but local health officials are urging residents to get their flu vaccination now rather than waiting for activity to increase. Health Director Kerry Kernen says the ideal window for getting vaccinated runs from late September through the spring.
“The timing is perfect right now if you haven’t gotten it already to get it now within the next week or two,” Kernen tells KLIN News. She says there is no way to predict exactly when flu activity will increase or how severe the upcoming season will be.
She says September’s numbers are currently consistent with what the area has seen in recent years. The health department recorded 12 positive flu cases in September, compared with eight in August.
Kernen says those numbers do not indicate increased flu activity at this point, but that could change quickly. “If you’ve seen one flu season, you’ve seen one flu season,” Kernen says. “It could be that it’s a quiet season and we don’t have anything until after the first of the year. It could hit us hard in the next couple of weeks. We just don’t know what to predict.”
Kernen tells KLIN News getting vaccinated does not guarantee someone will avoid the flu, but vaccination can reduce the severity of illness if someone does become infected. She says flu can lead to serious complications, including hospitalization and death, and is not something people should take lightly.
Kernen also recommends residents continue taking basic precautions to limit the spread of respiratory illnesses, including covering coughs, washing hands frequently and staying home when sick.