With flu season on the way, doctors are reminding the public that it’s important to get a flu vaccine before traveling to see family for the holidays.
Physicians Assistant Stephen Briggs said, getting a flu shot is not only necessary for yourself, but for the ones around you.
"Millions and millions of people traveling in a short period of time. If you're traveling and you have flu-like symptoms, and you end up with the flu, you've just exposed everybody that was around you,” said Briggs.
Briggs said that it’s very easy to pass along the sickness.
"The flu virus can live on particulates in the atmosphere, walk in after somebody coughed or sneezed, and you can get it. It's that easy,” said Briggs.
Briggs said when people cough or sneeze, and don’t wash their hands, germs are getting passed around. One way to stay protected is by getting the flu vaccine.
"The vaccine's very important. It's never 100 percent, but it gives you some percentage of protection,” said Briggs.
Patty Chabot said that she didn’t get the vaccine last year, and it made her very sick. This year, she was sure to get her shot.
"I did not get [a shot], one year, and I got very sick. After I was sick, everybody else got sick, so it's not fair to everybody else around you, not to get the flu shot,” said Briggs.
Chabot said we don't need another deadly season again.
"Last year it was terrible out there, people were getting both flus,” said Chabot.
According to the CDC, 178 children died from the flu last year, and 80 percent of those children were not vaccinated. Briggs said everyone should get the shot, especially the young and old.
“Especially the elderly-if you're immune compromised, and the young. If it gives you any protection, it's worth doing,” said Briggs.
► Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13News Now App.