Hays County Commissioners Court Proclaims National Flu Vaccination Week In Hays County

Hays County Courthouse, San Marcos, TX – The Hays County Commissioners Court on Tuesday proclaimed December 1-7, 2019, as National Influenza Vaccination Week in Hays County, and thanked the County’s Local Health Department for its efforts in promoting flu vaccinations.

“The flu season is beginning to ramp up here in Hays County,” Local Health Department Epidemiologist Eric Schneider told the Court. “January and February are usually the peak times here for flu cases, and last week alone 102 Hays County residents tested positive for flu.” He noted that 25 cases had been reported in the first two weeks of November.

According to the proclamation, every year an estimated 79,000 people die from Influenza-related illnesses, and more than 960,000 are hospitalized nationwide.

In Hays County over the past 2 years (2016- 2018) approximately 4,700 people have tested positive for Influenza and additional 18,000 were diagnosed with Influenza-like-Illness without benefit of testing.

“It is highly recommended that anyone over the age of six months get a flu shot to help prevent a flu outbreak,” Schneider said. “While the majority of adults can recover from the flu with proper medication, the flu can be fatal for children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems. Here in Hays County, 12 members of our community passed away last year due to complications of the flu.”

It’s a popular myth, but inaccurate, that the flu vaccine can give you the flu, Schneider said, noting that it can take up to two weeks for the vaccination to take full effect and that you can be exposed to the flu in the interim.

“The vaccine is not always 100 percent effective, but it increases the antibodies in your body to allow you to fight off the flu more quickly and with less severe symptoms,” he said.

There are other ways to help prevent a flu outbreak – regular hand-washing with soap and warm water, using your arm or sleeves to cover coughs and sneezes, and staying home when you are feeling sick.

“The holiday season is approaching, and the cold weather tends to drive large gatherings indoors,” Schneider said. “Don’t let the flu be one of the ‘gifts’ you pass around this year. Help prevent an outbreak and protect Hays County’s most vulnerable populations, as well as your own family, by getting your flu shot today.”