Local doctors say flu season started a little early this year, with flu cases, especially in children, on the rise.
Rachel Lucas, 10 News anchor, spoke with Dr. Ryan Fulton, section chief of general pediatrics for Carilion Children’s in Daleville. He says the flu can be very dangerous for children.
He urges parents to get children over the age of 6 months vaccinated. For children too young to be vaccinated, he recommends that all other household members get vaccinated to prevent the spread.
“It’s already impacting our communities and our school systems,” Dr. Fulton said. “We’ve seen several cases in our Botetourt office. Some few cases spread out throughout the valley and that’s kind of what we’re seeing right now. We anticipate that the cases will increase because it’s very early in the season, but we just want to keep it on everyone’s radar.”
Prevention steps will be critical as the holidays approach. In addition to vaccination, Dr. Fulton recommends teaching children proper hand washing and to cover their mouths when they sneeze or cough.