Hunter
01/02/24
The Johnson County Public Health Department is urging residents to get the flu vaccine.
Community Health Division Manager Sam Jarvis told KCRG TV that not only does the vaccine help prevent the seasonal flu, but can prevent a potential new virus from being created.
The Centers for Disease Control shows a high rate of flu cases in Iowa. Those receiving flu vaccines this season are fewer than in years past, especially among young children.
The Centers for Disease Control say bird flu cases are now being found in humans, with one in Iowa among 66 documented cases across the country. Health professionals warn that if the bird flu and regular flu viruses combine in a cell, it could create a dual infection that could become a threat to public health. Jarvis says the flu vaccine is protection from the two viruses mixing together.