Maine’s first case of seasonal flu was confirmed last week by the Maine Center for Disease Control, which used the occasion to remind Mainers to take the usual precautions again this year.
Vaccinations are recommended for all those older than six months of age, according to Dora Ann Mills, M.D., director of the agency. Immunization will not only protect individuals, she said, it will also help keep influenza from spreading.
Now is the time to arrange for a flu shot, before those around us begin to show symptoms.
Maine’s first documented case of the season was contracted by an adult from Sagadahoc County. He or she (the agency did not reveal this detail), was suffering from influenza B.
Nationally, three strains of flu are circulating, influenza A, influenza B, and the H1N1 strain that was widespread last season. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the viruses closely match those for which this year’s vaccine was formulated.
Public health officials especially encourage vaccination for those at high risk for complications from the flu. This group includes young children, pregnant women, those over 65, and those with chronic health problems like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung diseases.
It’s still early in the flu season; cases don’t usually peak until January or February. Unlike last year, vaccine is abundant and chances to get immunized are abundant.
It’s an opportunity no one should overlook.
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