Not everyone gets a flu shot.
"I've never, never gotten one before," says Don Sweet.
And while many of those people haven't gotten the flu, the worst of flu season has yet to come. The CDC says mid-January through February are notoriously the worst time of the year for the flu. Experts like doctor Melody Angel say it has a lot to do with the holidays.
"We're often moving around a lot more during that time," explains Dr. Angel, "with Thanksgiving, Christmas, meeting and being exposed to new people from new pockets around the United States that maybe we weren't exposed to before."
Even if you didn't travel for the holidays, or host anybody from far away, people who did might bring the flu back and start spreading it across mid-Michigan. That's why it's never too late to get that flu shot, just in case.
"It's still really important that we do the immunizations just to keep the herd immunity down," states Angel.
Additionally, preventative measures you can take on your own can be staying hydrated, washing your hands on a regular basis, and coughing and sneezing into your elbow, rather than your hands.
"We have a certain responsibility to the people around us to make sure that we're taking advantage of the things that we can do to reduce that risk," says Angel.
Which is why for people like Sweet, the option is always there:
"This year might change, I still have time, of course, to get one so you know, we'll see what happens."
Pharmacies and county health departments as well as urgent cares offer flu shots, in case you haven't gotten one yet.
