It is time to start thinking about getting a flu vaccination.

Ahnna Parker and Nicole Hines have advised that The Office of Institutional Health will be giving the annual flu vaccine to faculty and staff with direct patient care during the month of October.  Please check with your nurse managers for locations and times.  All non-direct patient care staff will be given the opportunity to get their flu shots October 21, 22, and 23rd in ACB200.

If you have ever had a serious case of the flu, you know it.  We all run into people who say they have the “walking flu.”  Sometimes I think that they just have the common cold because if it is a true case of the flu, it will put you in bed and produce a miserable feeling.  Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread it to others.  Flu is serious business that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death.

And, it is during this time of the year, experts warn that flu viruses are circulating at higher levels in the U.S. population.  An annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to reduce the chance you will get seasonal flu and spread it to others.

I was reading yesterday that flu vaccine coverage is inadequate for healthcare workers.  The article said last year's coverage was 75.2 percent.  Let’s see if Texas Tech Physicians can do better than that.