FORT SMITH (KFSM) - The Arkansas Department of Health is reporting the first flu-related deaths of the season.
One victim was between the ages 25 and 44 and the other three were older than 60, according to numbers published Friday (Jan. 2).
The department also reported 451 people have been hospitalized with the flu since the season started in September. When compared to the same time last year, there were only 264 hospitalizations.
The Sebastian County Health Unit administrator Jo Wester said they offer flu shots Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m, and it's not too late to get vaccinated. Walk-ins are welcome. Shots cost $30, but insurance, Medicare and Medicaid are accepted forms of payment.
“When you get a flu shot, you`re protecting everyone around you," Wester said. "You`re protecting your loved ones. You`re protecting those that you care for."
Newborns can't get vaccinated until they are six months old, which is why it's important for pregnant women to get vaccinated. Some immunity is passed to the unborn baby. Children and the elderly are also high risk groups, according to CDC guidelines.
"Every year the flu will make many sick," Wester said. "Stay home from work, home from school, and with those who have immune issues or pulmonary issues, sometimes there’s hospitalization, so the best protection is the flu vaccine."
Health officials say the flu vaccine can reduce hospitalizations by as much as 60-percent and deaths by 80-percent.