The Flu Season Strikes Early

    "It's foolish not to have it, the downside is terrible."

            It's quick and painless and as New Hartford native Bernard Turi says, at the age of 85 he comes every year to get vaccinated, but this year he came early.

                He says, "I've heard so much publicity about the downside, the report from the medical department that there are over 900 cases and that's not all of them and there seems to be an onset of this flu epidemic. So I said why not, I had it once before, it's painless and it gives you the surety of having good health. What's better than that?"

            And he isn't the only one lining up. Dozens more are getting vaccinated around the county because the number of positive cases is on the rise.

                Registered Nurse Marina Kistner says, "Right now it's just hitting very early now. Where a few weeks ago we were at 94 for the county, as of today is 700 something, 720 something. It's a lot higher now, it just came early."

                Frances Doti of Utica says she came  to get the vaccination today because she's heard many people are coming down with the flu.

                She says, "As a precaution, that's why I came to get the flu shot, in case I do happen to get it, I'm protected. It's a bigger concern this year than it was the year before, so I wanted to make sure I got it."

                Experts want to remind everyone that taking care of yourself by washing your hands and eating right are just a few ways to help prevent the flu. But they also if you do feel sick, don't try to rough it out at work.

            Kistner added, "When you're sick don't go to work, stay home. You think you can do it, don't. Stay home because the best thing is, by going to work when you're sick you're just passing it on to everybody else. And then it goes through the whole office and you may end up getting it again."