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Flu Shot

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Flu Patients Continue to Fill Doctors' Offices

An Alpharetta physician said 15 to 20 percent of his day is spent with flu patients.

This flu season is different than previous years because of the sheer volume of people who are getting sick, according to an Alpharetta ambulatory medicine physician. Dr. Richard Ellin, who works at Kaiser Permanente Alpharetta Medical Offices, said in the past two or three years, he'd see the occasional flu patient, maybe one or two a week. "This year, we are seeing anywhere from three to six a day and that's just me," Dr. Ellin said. "Fifteen to twenty percent of my day is the flu or complications from the flu. "Another thing is, we are seeing many more people who have got the flu shot who have gotten the flu," he said. "It's prevalent throughout metro Atlanta, and really throughout Georgia, and really pretty much throughout the whole …

Friday, December 7, 2012

CDC: Get Your Flu Shot

It's National Influenza Vaccination Week. Did you get your flu shot in Cherokee County yet?

  More than one-third of United States residents have already been vaccinated against the influenza virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday. With National Influenza Vaccination Week, which started last Sunday and ends Saturday, health officials aim to increase that percentage, especially since this year's season may be a bad one. Influenza—more commonly known as simply "the flu"—is a contagious respiratory illness caused by viruses infecting the nose, throat and lungs. It spreads via infected people coughing, sneezing or talking, though people can also get infected by touching something with the flu virus on it before touching their mouth, eyes or nose. The 2012-2013 season is shaping up to be one of the …

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