FGH physician discusses flu prevention tips

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - It is officially flu season and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu-related deaths during a given season can number as high as 49,000, but getting the flu shot will help you tremendously.

Forrest General Physician Dr. Charles Griffith said, “This is the best way we have to decrease the incidences of flu, the flu vaccine is about 50% to 60% affect for the general population, more so if you are young healthy adult.”

During flu season, Dr. Griffith said be mindful of the changes with your body. He said the signs and symptoms are different from a common cold.

“Rather the flu is going to be much more serious a higher fever typically, headaches, severe headaches often times, a severe cough, you are not going to cough much up" said Dr. Griffith.

He added, "You're essentially going to have a pro-long, typically more serious illness.” During flu season a good portion of the population believe the flu shot will give you the flu, but Dr. Griffith said to not be fooled by common misconceptions.

“We do not do a live vaccine anymore, it is just a portion of the flu vaccine, that is most likely to generate a respond in our bodies so that we can defend against it" said. Dr. Griffith.

Dr. Griffith said the flu shot will not give you the flu. “You do not get the flu, at most you might, maybe get 24-48 hours, of achiness, with low-grade fever, treated with anti-inflammatory, but you do not get the flu.”

Along with the flu shot, common health practices help prevent the flu too.

Dr. Griffith said "Excellent hand washing, this is contracted through what we call droplets, so essentially wash your hands, cover your mouth, cover your nose if you sneeze."

He continued, "A lot of people can actually get this if you rub your eyes, a lot of people think, 'well no one has coughed on me or sneezed' ...well you sneeze, your shake someone’s hand, you rub your eyes, and you can get it that was as well.”

As of date, the CDC said more than 120 million doses of seasonal influenza vaccine have been distributed.

To learn more about the flu-shot you can click here.