Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
The weather is getting cooler and the days are getting shorter. It’s fall, and this week on Health Watch, we’ll look at some ways to approach the season with health in mind. This time of year is when you should take measures to avoid getting sick in the fall and winter. With the H1N1 virus a concern, it’s more important than ever to protect yourself from the flu.
Dr. James Luby, an infectious disease expert at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says the flu season typically runs from November through March, and it takes about two weeks for the vaccine to take effect, so now’s the time to get a seasonal flu shot. UT Southwestern pediatricians also say children are often responsible for the spread of the flu because they come in close contact with other kids at school or day care, so it’s important to have children vaccinated, too.
Visit www.utsouthwestern.org/infectiousdiseases to learn more about UT Southwestern’s clinical services in infectious diseases.
