Vaccination is Crucial as Flu Numbers Rise

As February unfolds, so does peak flu season, a time when the influenza virus tends to be more rampant. The winter months are notorious for harboring the flu virus, making it crucial for individuals to take proactive measures to protect themselves and those around them.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu activity remains elevated nationally. The CDC estimates there have been at least 22 million flu illnesses, 250,000 flu hospitalizations and 15,000 deaths in the United States from flu so far this season.

There is still time to benefit from the protection a flu vaccine offers. The CDC recommends getting the flu vaccine as long as influenza viruses continue to spread. 

Everyone six months and older should get a flu vaccine each year for the best protection against flu. Getting vaccinated can reduce the risk of getting sick with flu and can reduce the severity of symptoms if you are diagnosed with flu. Vaccination also helps protect people around you, including those who are at higher risk of serious flu illness, like babies and young children, older people, pregnant people and people with certain chronic health conditions.

As a convenience to our patients, Hattiesburg Clinic offers flu shots Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., on the first floor of the main clinic, located at 415 S. 28th Ave., in Hattiesburg. Flu shots are available to the general public at this location throughout the 2023-24 flu season for those five years of age and older. 

Flu shots are also available at Hattiesburg Clinic primary care and urgent care locations.

To learn more about flu, visit www.hattiesburgclinic.com/flu or talk to your primary care physician.

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About Hattiesburg Clinic:

Hattiesburg Clinic is Mississippi’s largest privately-owned, multispecialty clinic.  More than 60 years after its beginning, the clinic has grown to over 450 physicians and providers, caring for patients in more than 17 counties in South Mississippi.  Along with over 2,500 professional staff employees, these physicians and providers come together for a common purpose, to serve the over 500,000 community members who live and work in South Mississippi every day.