Although the flu season is at its mid-point, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) still recommends a shot for anyone who has not had one.

Gena Carter of the Wyoming County Health Department says the CDC recommends frequent hand washing as the best deterrent.

Shots are still available at the Health Department on Wednesdays fron 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Carter reported.

Other advice from the CDC:

If you are sick, get to a doctor within 48 hours to get medicine to reduce the severity and symptoms.

The flu is worse on the elderly.

Flu outbreaks have been worse this year than last year, with more cases and more deaths reported. This year’s flu is the H3N2 strain.

The flu began to spread about a month earlier than usual.

Schools in the area have not been unusually hard it, according to Wyoming County Superintendent of Schools Frank “Bucky” Blackwell.

“Any time there you have people with flu and colds it is a concern,” he commented. “We’ve had some weekends which came at the right time because is kept kids away from each other, like this three-day weekend (Martin Luther Kind Day weekend).

“You have some kids and employees who miss school, but it really hasn’t been a big issue and we hope it stays that way,” Blackwell added.

“I think some people had their ailments over the Christmas holidays,” he stated. “I know that’s how it was at my house.”

School nurses monitor what is happening, Blackwell noted.