Plenty of Flu Shots Available This Year
State health director Dr. Leah Devlin said there are 500,000 doses available for children and pregnant mothers – two groups normally at high risk of having serious flu complications.
Posted — UpdatedOn Wednesday, Devlin discussed the state's preparations for the current flu season. She said state health officials have 500,000 doses of the vaccines available for children and pregnant mothers and a record 132 million doses available in the United States.
While flu season typically runs from November to May, North Carolina already has its first confirmed case. Health officials said a Buncombe County woman has Type A Influenza – the more common and more serious of the two strains.
State epidemiologist Jeffrey Engel said health providers across North Carolina have agreed to participate in a "sentinel" network that allow them to better monitor the spread of influenza and prevent the possibility of pandemic flu.
The health providers regularly report influenza-like illness to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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