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INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) – The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting a second flu-related death.
Health officials say the person is over the age of 65 but they did not release the part of the state where the person died.
The first flu death of this season occurred five weeks earlier than last year’s flu season when 336 people died from flu-related complications.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone age 6 months and older get a flu vaccine each year. Dr. Box said that because infants under 6 months can’t be vaccinated, it’s important that anyone in a household where a young baby lives or visits get a flu shot to protect the child. Healthcare workers also are urged to get a flu vaccine to reduce their risk of transmitting illness to their patients.
It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies that protect against flu to develop in the body, so the CDC recommends early vaccination. However, the flu vaccine can be administered at any time during the season, which typically runs from October through May.
Common signs and symptoms of the flu include:
- fever of 100° Fahrenheit or greater
- headache
- fatigue
- cough
- muscle aches
- sore throat
- runny or stuffy nose
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