(TNND) \u2014 Doctors say now is the time to get vaccinated against the flu, with virus activity still low but picking up in parts of the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we want to start vaccinating September, October, so that we’re well equipped, so that the vaccines last all the way through May season,\u201d said Dr. Juanita Mora, the national medical spokesperson for the American Lung Association.<\/p>\n
The American Lung Association launched its campaign to get people vaccinated<\/a> before the worst of respiratory disease season kicks in.<\/p>\n The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u2019s outlook calls for a moderate flu season<\/a>, comparable to last year.<\/p>\n The CDC\u2019s latest report<\/a> shows seasonal flu activity is still low, though it warned that flu activity is increasing in many parts of the country. And a report from Epic Research found that flu rates got off to their earliest start<\/a> in the last five years.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are very early in the influenza season,\u201d said Dr. Yuan-Po Tu, the medical director for infectious disease and outbreak response at Optum Care Washington<\/a>. \u201cWhat’s unusual about this season is how early it has taken off, especially on the West Coast.\u201d<\/p>\n Tu said his organization, north of Seattle, recorded a \u201creally high\u201d 29% positive test rate on 282 suspected flu cases last week.<\/p>\n \u201cThe heavy hitters, the illnesses that cause the most hospitalizations and medical visits and deaths, are the combination of influenza, COVID and RSV,\u201d Tu said. \u201cSo, the good news is that we haven’t seen much RSV this season yet. We’re expecting it to show up later. The bad news is that we’re dealing with both a combination of early onset of influenza, which is rapidly rising, and a moderate amount of COVID, at least on the West Coast.\u201d<\/p>\n Mora said what\u2019s expected to be a moderate flu season could take a turn for the worse if people let their guard down on vaccinations. About half of children and a little under half of adults got the flu shot last season<\/a>, according to CDC data.<\/p>\n And Tu said even moderate flu seasons, along with other respiratory diseases, can stress hospitals.<\/p>\n The American Lung Association said respiratory viruses cause hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations each year, including 390,000 hospitalizations and 24,000 deaths last flu season.<\/p>\n The American Lung Association said flu shots are recommended for everyone 6 months and older.<\/p>\n It said people should talk to their health care providers about COVID-19 vaccines for anyone 6 months and older.<\/p>\n Mora said both the flu and COVID shots should be taken annually.<\/p>\n The American Lung Association said a single RSV, respiratory syncytial virus, vaccine is recommended for adults 75 and older if they haven\u2019t already received one. The same applies for adults 50 to 74 who are at an increased risk due to an underlying health condition, such as chronic lung or heart disease.<\/p>\n