WKRN, Nashville, Tennessee News, Weather, and Sports |H1N1 not only threat this flu season
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. - As Americans focus their attention on the H1N1 flu virus, health officials are warning people not to forget about the seasonal flu.
"If people are only focused on H1N1, they might forget to get the seasonal flu shot," said Dr. Bill Paul, Director at the Metro Public Health Department. "Seasonal flu shots are coming out soon and those are also really important because we may well have an ordinary flu season that makes a lot of people sick as well."
The traditional flu season can run from October through May.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, seasonal flu vaccines are being distributed and should be available at locations such as doctor's offices and health clinics within weeks.
"So we all should get that done first, so if we do that, and then get the H1N1 vaccine, we should be protected," said Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Dr. William Schaffner.
Although there are cases of the H1N1 virus now in Tennessee, those vaccines will not be available until mid-October.
Officials say production is slower than expected, which will mean a gradual distribution of that vaccine.
Dr. Paul says the flu is the flu, no matter which variety it is.
Symptoms include a high fever, body aches, coughing and a runny nose.
Vaccines are recommended especially for children, the elderly, pregnant women, healthcare workers and people with chronic conditions.
Dr. Paul cautions the flu can be deadly.
"You can get pneumonia. You can actually die from it, so it's important for people who have particular medical risks and seniors to get that flu shot every year," he said.
According to doctors, the H1N1 virus may complicate things for the public because one shot will not cover it all.
They say anyone who wants to take preventive action will need to get the seasonal vaccine, as well as two doses of the H1N1 vaccine.
Read more about the seasonal flu and the H1N1 flu viruses at CDC.gov.
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