CLINICS READY AS FLU SEASON APPROACHES

Health officials are reminding people that now is the best time to get vaccinated in case the flu bug again attacks early this year.

The Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center has scheduled a series of flu shot clinics for October and November.

The flu season typically begins in early winter, but last year it was in full swing by October. It raged at epidemic levels nationwide for about seven weeks from December to February.

"There's absolutely no way to predict, unfortunately, how bad the flu will get this year," said Nancy Cox, chief of the influenza branch at the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control.

"Since we don't know, people who could be in danger of complications from the flu, such as pneumonia, should get vaccinated early this fall."

The vaccine usually takes about two weeks to take effect.

Last year vaccines ran short in Cape Girardeau and across the nation.

"That may happen again this year," said Charlotte Craig, director of the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center. "The second batch we ordered, they haven't even made up yet. I think there is more and more awareness and more and more people are getting vaccinated."

To avoid shortages this year, the nation's four vaccine manufacturers prepared an extra 18 million doses.

Craig said this year the health department has purchased some flu vaccine. "Since we have purchased the vaccine, we are requesting a $3 donation. But if someone cannot come up with the $3, and they meet one of the risk factors, they can be vaccinated," Craig said.

In the past, the health center has depended solely on allotments from the state. "But we never get enough," Craig said.

This year the center has 900 doses. "We don't know if that's enough or not."

The Center for Disease Control anticipates the major strains of flu for each year. This year's flu shot contains A-Texas, A-Beijing and B-Panama.

The health department, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Health, will be providing flu vaccination clinics during October and November. The clinics will be held:

Oct. 21 Cape Girardeau Nutrition Center, 232 Broadway, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Oct. 22 Jackson Nutrition Center, 402 E. Washington, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Oct. 29 Woodard's Restaurant, Delta, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Oct. 30 Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center, 1121 Linden, 9-11:30 a.m.

Nov. 2 Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center, 1121 Linden, 1-3:30 p.m.

Influenza is usually not life threatening in healthy individuals, and most people recover fully. Health officials recommend the use of vaccine for the elderly and people with other health problems.

For example, people who after even light exercise become short of breath due to diseases affecting their heart or lungs, and people who have low resistance to infections, are likely to be more seriously affected by the flu. All people 65 years of age or older should be vaccinated.

"Flu shots do work," Craig said.

Craig said vaccines today are "made so well that we anticipate very, very few reactions from the vaccine."