CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The annual flu season is getting underway as the month of October begins. That is why the Department of State Health Services designated Sunday as "Influenza Awareness Day" in Texas. The department is encouraging Texans to protect themselves by getting vaccinated before the peak of flu season arrives.
According to them, it takes the body about two weeks to build up flu antibodies after receiving a flu shot. Both the flu and COVID booster shots can be administered together. Health experts say getting vaccinated is our only line of defense to prevent a bad flu or COVID season this year.
DSHS recommends Texans six months of age and older get the flu shot by the end of October. That is especially important for those more at risk of severe flu-related complications, such as young children, people 65 years of age and older, pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions like heart and lung disease, diabetes and asthma.
Immunization can make flu symptoms less severe and reduce flu-related deaths and hospitalizations.
Flu viruses spread mainly by tiny droplets made when people with flu talk, sneeze or cough. Infection can also occur if a person touches an object or surface that has virus on it and then touches their mouth, nose and possibly their eyes.
The department said flu symptoms can include fever, headache, body aches, sore throat, cough, fatigue and chills, and these can last a week or longer. Antiviral drugs to treat flu sickness are available by prescription, and these treatments can make flu illness milder and reduce the length of symptoms if started within 48 hours of symptoms beginning.\
Roughly 36,000 Americans die each year from flu-related illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making it the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S.