Flu season starts early: What to know

This year's flu season started months early and in an unexpected part of the country. Early activity is concentrated in the western states, including California and Washington, leading health officials to urge people to get those flu shots as soon as possible. We've got Fox Med Team's Dr. Mike here to talk about it this morning. We have this chat every year, Dr. Mike, when we find out where the flu is starting up, how strong it is, what's the outlook right now? Dave, there's good news and there's bad news. So the good news is that we think the flu shots that are being given out are a good match for the flu that is circulating. The bad news, it's starting early. And unlike other years where it starts down south and works its way up, it's starting on the West Coast. They're having a lot of cases. We don't know exactly why. but it's coming east and it's coming to a town near you Dave. It's interesting to talk about the flu starting early Dr. Mike because first of all I know there's always the push every year to just make sure people who may not be likely to get that flu shot do go out and get it that's so important but even the people who some people who are so active and make sure they get it sometimes I've heard doctors say they almost get it a little too early you want to wait a little longer depending on the given season but apparently now is the time. Well that's right Dave because the flu season can go all the way out to next april or so so you want to be protected and what we like to do there's a there's a sweet spot near the end of september early october is when to do it but it's never too late to do it and you want to do it from age six months up all right you gotta get protected. Why, Dave? 24,000 people died last year from the flu. Everybody kind of thinks of the flu as this little annoyance. It's not. It can kick your butt. In fact, I had a doctor go to Europe on a conference. He's my patient, hung out with some people from Australia. Remember, they're just getting over their flu season now. And man, he was sick as a dog. So a couple of things. Get your flu shot. There's a lot of options out there. Secondly, remember, there are antiviral treatments. If you get a bad case of the flu and you can diagnose it, you go to your local CVS and get tested at home within 24, 48 hours, treat you with an antiviral Tamiflu or there's a couple others. If you do that, you're going to be OK. That's good advice. And like you said, we're very should be very serious about it when it's a life or death matter but even if it's not no one wants to feel like death warmed over for 48 to 72 hours either that should be incentive enough to try to go get your protection there well and remember a date you don't want to get grandma grandpa sick or the little ones they're the most vulnerable you want to make sure that they're protected and one way to do that get yourself the flu shot wonderful great advice As always, we will do it and be ready for this flu season. Dr. Mike, thank you so much.