Yorkville Doctor Reminds 'It's Not Too Late For Flu Shot'

YORKVILLE, IL — It's not too late to avoid the flu with a shot, experts say. Dr. Shaily Macker is a family medicine physician at the Morris Hospital Yorkville Campus with a few helpful tips to avoid the cold and flu, including routinely washing hands. It may sound obvious, but contagious viruses are spread by touching areas that have the virus on them, like doorknobs.

They can also spread through the air through coughs, sneezes and even just talking. Macker said the best way to avoid getting the flu is through a shot, as soon as possible, and annually.

“The virus mutates each year, and different strains emerge. Plus, our immunity to the virus decreases over time,” she stressed. If you do get a flu shot, you can't count on its effectiveness right away. It usually takes our bodies a couple weeks to develop the immunity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, said that about three-quarters of peak influenza activity in the last three decades happen in January or later, and typically go through March.

"Flu activity indicators have been higher than normal this season," said Macker. Time Magazine published an article Monday that agrees. Public-health experts are noticing cases are starting up early, which means it's aggressive. Americans often look to Australia’s flu season to get a sense of what it will be like here. Australians recently recorded 2½ times as many cases, compared to the same period last year. Time also looked into the effectiveness of the flu shot.

The CDC, Dr. Macker, along with the county health departments of Kane and DuPage, all recommend those six months of age and older get the flu shot annually. The shot does not cause a person to get the flu, Dr. Macker emphasized, "because the vaccine does not contain live virus."

Flu symptoms include fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, or fatigue. Macker said these symptoms make it feel a lot like the common cold. But when they get more severe, she recommends the patient sees their physician.

"There is medication we can give you that can decrease the duration and severity of the symptoms if taken within the first 48 hours.”

Patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, immunity disorders and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are especially encouraged to see their doctors if they get the flu.

Macker practices at the Morris Hospital Yorkville Campus off Route 47 at 105 Saravanos Drive. In addition to their facility offering flu shots, which is open seven days a week, check out this HealthMap vaccine finder to seek an option near you.

Photo of Dr. Macker & patient courtesy of Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers