flu shot

It's not too late to get a flu shot, health officials say.

(Mayo Clinic)

The flu socked the Portland area this season just in time for Christmas. That's much earlier than usual.

"We normally get the peak season around the first, second or third week in February, so we're about four to six weeks early," said Dr. Jon Jui, medical director of Multnomah County's emergency management system.

No one knows why it hit early this year. It could be the cold weather, which prompts people to congregate together inside, making it easier to spread germs, Jui said.

Hospitals in the area report a steady flow of patients. People can protect themselves by thoroughly washing their hands.

Those who get sick should seek early treatment. If diagnosed within 48 hours of symptoms appearing, physicians can help, said Dr. Christopher Love, of Adventist Health Urgent Care in Southeast Portland.

And for prevention, this season's vaccine is a good match for the main influenza A strain - H3N2 - that's circulating, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Still some people who've been vaccinated are getting sick.

That's not unusual.

"It's very very helpful in protecting you from dying," Jui said, referring to the vaccine. "It's moderately helpful in protecting you from getting the flu."

Still, a vaccine can blunt the thrust of the bug. It takes two weeks for the shot to take effect. Health officials recommend that everyone older than 6 months get vaccinated and that those 65 and older get a double dose because seniors tend to be a higher risk for life-threatening illness.

Deaths from the flu can range from around 3,000 to 50,000 nationwide.

-- Lynne Terry