Local doctors recommend flu shots ahead of peak season

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KETK) – Dr. Carey Lindemann, a family medicine doctor in Nacogdoches, says flu season is here.

“We’ve already been seeing patients coming in with fever, body aches, cough, nasal congestion,” Lindemann said.

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She says since COVID-19, they have started testing for both flu and coronavirus at the same time, making it hard to have a definitive season.

“Typically our peak flu season is December to February, but just like right now, we’re seeing it as early as September,” Lindemann said.

That’s why she recommends patients get their yearly flu shot not only to protect themselves, but the people around them.

“You can actually have the virus and not really feel any symptoms, and you can pass that to people who may be immunocompromised or at higher risk,” Lindemann said.

Every year the Food and Drug Administration picks the strains of flu they believe will affect more people, targeting them with the shot.

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“The flu vaccine this year is made up of four main strains, there’s two from flu A and two from flu B,” Lindemann said.

Doctors have also seen stigma around vaccines grow since COVID-19, but Lindemann said that is not the case for her.

“We’ve actually seen more people getting the flu shot because they’ve seen what COVID does to people, and they don’t want to experience those same symptoms with the flu, so we’ve actually had an uptake in our flu vaccine,” Lindemann said.

Lindemann has been seeing some patients with both the flu and COVID-19 at the same time and advises everyone who isn’t feeling well to stay home and to see their doctor if needed.

She says the shot doesn’t guarantee you won’t get the flu, but it might be the best defense against it. The best advice is to talk to your own doctor. 

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