Berrien County Health Department Urges Flu Vaccinations

vaccine-2-safe-35
vaccine-2-safe-35

The Berrien County Health Department is urging everyone to get a flu shot now that flu season is fully here. Berrien County Health Officer Guy Miller tells us they are anticipating an active flu season this year.

“Models form Australia have already shown they’ve had a pretty significant flu season, and based on that, we try to match our flu strains to what theirs are in our vaccines, and try to anticipate that,” Miller said.

Miller says there have been significant hospitalizations from flu in Australia in 2022. Meanwhile, health officials in the U.S. also want to keep people out of the hospital.

“We’re actually seeing a higher level of pediatric hospitalizations in the state of Michigan. That is because of influenza and because of the RSV respiratory syncytial virus.”

Miller says getting a flu shot can greatly reduce the severity of the illness. The Berrien County Health Department is holding flu shot clinics each Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at its office in Benton Harbor. You can also call to set up an appointment at the Niles office. Miller notes they never turn anyone away because they can’t pay. For more information, visit bit.ly/BCHDFlu.