WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Fighting the flu

Burlington, Vermont - October 17, 2011

Vermont's health commissioner rolled up his own sleeve Monday morning, ready for a dose of good health during flu season. The flu vaccine has arrived and health officials say everyone six months and older should be vaccinated, except those already compromised by debilitating illness.

"The only thing that's predictable with the flu is that it's unpredictable, so you really can't tell. That's really the whole purpose behind what we're doing with the VNA, the doctors' offices-- is getting people ready, vaccinating people and preventing, again, a very unpredictable, but significant disease," Vt. Health Commissioner Harry Chen said.

The flu vaccine changes each year as federal health officials try to match it to the strains currently circulating. Once again, H1N1 is included in this year's vaccine and they're not expecting any shortages. That's a good thing, because influenza can kill and it can keep people home from school and work for significant periods of time.

"I think people use the term the term flu very loosely and they think about the one day they're feeling ill or they're kind of sick to their stomach, but the real knock-them-sock-them influenza flu is something which you never forget.  You're in bed for at least a week and we all remember back a couple of years ago with H1N1 and it closed down schools, it closed down businesses. So, it's pretty significant," Dr. Chen said.

And that's why flu vaccine clinics are now getting started ahead of flu season. Children can their shots free at their pediatrician's office. Adults 18 and over can go to their doctor's offices or one the many flu clinics now being organized around the state.

For a list of all public flu clinics, including those run by the Visiting Nurse Association, just go to the Health Department's website. Click here for a link.