FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Spring is just around the corner, but despite the warm temperatures, pharmacists say flu and other respiratory viruses are still on the rise.
Flu season lasts from October to May, and pharmacists at Veterans Healthcare System of the Ozarks (VHCSO) say it’s not too late to get your flu shot. In fact, they say February is the peak month for flu.
Pharmacist Meredith White with VSCHO said across the state, only 45 percent of adults are vaccinated, and for veterans, it’s only 35 percent.
If you do get sick, she says being vaccinated can make a big difference.
“In Arkansas, since flu season began in October, we've had 48 deaths due to influenza, and in those patients, 75% of them were not vaccinated,” White said. “Patients that are vaccinated, while they might still get the flu, they're going to have fewer symptoms and their illness is going to be less severe than patients who did not get the vaccine.”
The VA in Fayetteville has flu shots available on its main campus and in its community-based outpatient clinics.
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