Georgia health officials urge flu vaccinations before Thanksgiving

The Georgia Department of Public Health is urging residents to get vaccinated against influenza now, before Thanksgiving, to protect themselves, their families and others during the holiday season. “The single most effective way to prevent the flu is the flu vaccine. Everyone over the age of six months should get a flu vaccine, with rare exceptions,” said Kathleen E. Toomey, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health. “It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against the flu, so it’s important to take preventive measures now.” kAmu=F DJ>AE@>D :?4=F56 76G6C[ 4@F89[ D@C6 E9C@2E[ CF??J @C DEF77J ?@D6[ 96252496[ 49:==D 2?5 72E:8F6] p DF556? @?D6E @7 3@5J 2496D 2?5 86?6C2= >2=2:D6 :D @?6 @7 E96 >@DE AC@?@F?465 DJ>AE@>D]k^Am kAmx?7=F6?K2 42? 36 2 D6C:@FD :==?6DD[ A2CE:4F=2C=J 7@C J@F?8 49:=5C6? 2?5 @=56C 25F=ED[ 2?5 42? =625 E@ 9@DA:E2=:K2E:@? 2?5[ :? D@>6 42D6D[ 562E9]k^Am kAmp== a_ae\af D62D@?2= 7=F G244:?6D 2C6 EC:G2=6?E[ >62?:?8 E96J AC@E64E 282:?DE E9C66 DEC2:?D @7 E96 G:CFDi :?7=F6?K2 p Ww`}`X[ :?7=F6?K2 p Wwb}aX 2?5 :?7=F6?K2 q^':4E@C:2]k^Am kAm%96 56A2CE>6?E 6?4@FC286D C6D:56?ED E@ 4@?DF=E E96:C 962=E9 42C6 AC@G:56CD 23@FE H9:49 7=F G244:?6 :D 2AAC@AC:2E6 7@C E96>[ 2D H6== 2D H96E96C E96J D9@F=5 C646:G6 r~'xs\`h 2?5 C6DA:C2E@CJ DJ?4JE:2= G:CFD G244:?6D]k^Am kAmu=F G244:?6D 2C6 2G2:=23=6 2E 4@F?EJ 962=E9 56A2CE>6?ED[ 5@4E@CD’ @77:46D[ 8C@46CJ DE@C6D[ ?6:893@C9@@5 4=:?:4D 2?5 A92C>24:6D]k^Am kAmw62=E9 @77:4:2=D 2=D@ C64@>>6?5 D6G6C2= AC642FE:@?D E@ 96=A AC6G6?E E96 DAC625 @7 :?7=F6?K2 2?5 @E96C C6DA:C2E@CJ :==?6DD6Dik^Am kF=mk=:mkAm(2D9 92?5D 7C6BF6?E=J 2?5 E9@C@F89=J H:E9 D@2A 2?5 H2C> H2E6C] p=4@9@=\32D65 92?5 D2?:E:K6CD 2C6 E96 ?6IE 36DE @AE:@? H96? D@2A 2?5 H2E6C 2C6 F?2G2:=23=6]k^Amk^=:mk=:mkAmr@F89 @C D?66K6 :?E@ E96 4C@@< @7 2? 6=3@H @C 2C>]k^Amk^=:mk=:mkAmpG@:5 E@F49:?8 E96 7246[ 2D 7=F 86C>D 42? 6?E6C E96 3@5J E9C@F89 E96 >F4@FD >6>3C2?6D @7 E96 ?@D6[ >@FE9 2?5 6J6D]k^Amk^=:mk=:mkAm$E2J 9@>6 7C@> D49@@= @C H@C< H96? D:4<]k^Amk^=:mk^F=m kAmu@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@? 23@FE :?7=F6?K2 2?5 AC6G6?E:@?[ G:D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^5A9]82]8@G^7=FQm5A9]82]8@G^7=Fk^2m] x?7@C>2E:@? 23@FE r~'xs\`h 2?5 #$' G244:?6D :D 2G2:=23=6 E9C@F89 E96 rsrVD #6DA:C2E@CJ ':CFD !C@E64E:@? H63D:E6]k^Am kAm#6D:56?ED 2=D@ 42? >@?:E@C v6@C8:2VD H66<=J :?7=F6?K2 24E:G:EJ C6A@CED 2E v6@C8:2 u=F p4E:G:EJ] %96 C6A@CED 2C6 FA52E65 6249 uC:52J]k^Am