TEXAS -- Flu Season is here and it is already being blamed for one death in Texas. An Austin-area school has had to cancel classes after a flu outbreak. The number of flu cases has already crossed the count this time last year, and it is not even at its peak yet. Our Dr. Nicole Cross sat down with a local health expert, Dr. Mark Escott, the medical director at Austin Public Health. His department is urging the public to get vaccinated against the flu.
To get your flu shot:
- With Insurance: Visit VaccineFinder.org to find a flu shot location.
- Without Insurance/ Medicaid Recipients: Call the Shots for Tots/Big Shots appointment line at 512-972-5520.
Along with getting your flu shot, it is important to:
- Wash your hands often and avoid touching your face
- Cough and sneeze into a bent elbow
- Do not go to work or school if you have symptoms of flu
- Get treated within the first 48 hours of symptom onset
- Ask your medical provider for treatment for people in your household who have also been exposed to the virus and may be at increased risk to contract influenza