Flu season is here

CABELL COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) - Kids are back in school and it’s time to start thinking about flu season.

Kathleen Napier, Director of Nursing at the Cabell-Huntington Health Department, offers some advice for parents sending their kids back to school.

“It is a good idea if they have something like a hand wipe or something they can put in their child’s lunch if they don’t have access to soap and water,” Napier said.

Doctor Shawn Coffman, Internist with Huntington Internal Medical Group, said the flu attacks the respiratory tract.

“So that can cause a lot of issues in terms of infection or asthmatic states and compromises oxygenation in the body,” Coffman said.

“This time of year we do start seeing a lot of respiratory illnesses like: flu and RSV and of course COVID is still around,” Napier said.

There are some locations to get your flu shot if you are looking for one.

The Cabell-Huntington Health Department will be holding a drive thru September 15 from 8 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon. Anyone 6 months or older can get a vaccine. If your 65 and older, there is a high dose vaccine which is limited. Since it is a drive thru you will not have to get out of your car and you can fill out registration there. You can however, fill registration out ahead of time on their website.

St. Mary’s Center of Education on 5th Ave and St. Mary’s Family Care in Hurricane will have drive thru clinics as well on September 23 from 8 in the morning until noon or while supplies last.

Huntington Internal Medical Group will be hosting annual flu clinics on Friday in their community room starting at 8 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon.

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