TAMPA, Fla (WFLA) – Hillsborough County Health Department is starting to see an increase in Flu activity across the Tampa Bay region earlier than previous seasons.
Typically in Florida, the Health Department says they see the flu peak between January and March.
“However we are seeing those cases in December so it’s happening a lot sooner this year,” said Hillsborough County Health Department Public Information Officer, Kevin Watler.
So far, two children in Florida have already died this year from the flu, which is why the Health Department is pushing everyone to get vaccinated now.
“We are trying to get children vaccinated especially, because a lot of the outbreaks occurring in our county happen to be in schools,” added Watler.
Kelli Brown and her family spent Saturday morning getting vaccinated. She says it’s a way for them to stay healthy and keep her son from getting sick.
“We have a medically fragile son and so if one of us were to get it we would put him at greater risk,” said Kelli Brown.
There is good news when it comes to this year’s vaccine; it contains the main strain of the flu health experts are seeing circulate right now.
The Hillsborough County Health Department is offering two more free flu shot clinics, if you still need to get vaccinated.
December 17th at Riverview High School from 5-7 p.m and December 19th at Plant City High School from 5-7 p.m.
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