Flu Patients Continue to Fill Doctors' Offices

Cartersville Medical Center has admitted about 50 people who tested positive for influenza as a nearby physician says 15 to 20 percent of his day is spent with flu patients.

This flu season is different than previous years because of the sheer volume of people who are getting sick, some very sick. Cartersville Medical Center through mid January had admitted about 50 patients this season who tested positive for flu, said spokesman Ginger Tyra. "[It] is significant because according to our director of infection control, patients with flu are typically treated on an outpatient basis and not hospitalized," Tyra said. "This number speaks to just how very sick our flu patients have been this year." Dr. Richard Ellin, who works at Kaiser Permanente Medical Offices in nearby Alpharetta, said in the past two or three years, he'd see the occasional flu patient, maybe one or two a week. "This year, we are seeing anywhere…

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Flu: Nearly 4 in 10 Vaccinated Will Still Get It if Exposed to Virus

This year's vaccine is categorized as only moderately effective. Have you or will you get a flu shot? The flu season peaks in January and February.

Think getting a flu shot will provide complete protection against the flu? Think again. During a Jan. 11 press briefing, Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said this year's influenza vaccine has an overall effectiveness of 62 percent. "That means that if you got vaccinated, you were about 60 percent less likely to get the flu that required you to go to your doctor," Frieden said, according to a transcript of the briefing. "So what we have known for a long time is that the flu vaccine is far from perfect. But it's still by far the best tool we have to prevent the flu," he added. At 62 percent effectiveness, nearly four in 10 people who have been vaccinated will still get the flu if exposed to the …

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Flu Season 'Intense,' Find Where to Get Your Shot in Cartersville

Cases of the flu have spiked in Georgia and across the country, topping last year's moderate season. The season normally peaks in January and February.

The Season Is Here: Where to Get Flu Shots in Cartersville

Here's where to get an influenza vaccine, how to recognize symptoms and what to know about treatment if you get sick.

Flu season is coming early in parts of the United States: This time last year, flu cases were lower in nearby Atlanta than they are now, according to data on Google's Flu Trends. (Cartersville-specific data is not available on Flu Trends.) Overall in Georgia, activity is considered intense, or high, now, while it was considered low at this time in 2011, according to Flu Trends. If you're considering getting a flu shot, here are some places in Cartersville that offer the vaccine: CVS Pharmacy and Clinic Locations Rite Aid Locations Kroger Pharmacy Publix Pharmacy More locations According to this week's CDC Flu activity report, influenza levels are on the increase across the country.  Five states—Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, …

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Where to Get a Flu Shot in Cartersville

Flu season typically begins in October and can run through May. Find out what you need to know to protect yourself and your family.

Getting a flu shot this year won't be as easy as going to school for Bartow County students. Last year, the county health officials went into the schools to administer flu shots, but not this year. Instead, the Bartow County Health Department opted for a one-day clinic earlier this month. If you missed it, where can you get a flu shot now? In addition to doctors' offices and some workplaces, the health department offers influenza immunizations as do several pharmacies and clinics in Cartersville, including CVS and Rite Aid locations, Kroger and Publix, and even Walmart and Kmart. But, are you guaranteed to get the flu if you don’t get vaccinated against it? Of course not—but here’s why getting a flu vaccine just might be worth your while. …

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