Tulsa Health Department Working To Limit Spread Of The Flu

Flu season hasn’t peaked yet, but some people are already getting sick here in Oklahoma.

Twenty people have been hospitalized for the flu so far this season.  Eight of those cases are in Tulsa County.

The Tulsa Health Department is working to limit the spread of the flu.

The health department says no Oklahoma children have died from the flu so far this year and they want to keep it that way.

With winter just around the corner, that means flu shot season is here.

Hundreds of people lined up at OSU Tulsa to get a free flu shot on Wednesday.

10/22/2018 Related Story:  Tulsa Health Department Offering Free Flu Shots On Wednesday

“The Don’t Bug Me flu prevention campaign is really a fun way to educate kids about steps that they can take to protect themselves against the flu, starting with, of course, a seasonal flu shot,” said Leanne Stephens with THD.

The health department says the campaign is part of a crucial mission – to educate parents on the importance of vaccinating their kids.

“Between 2010 and 2014, this study showed that, in children with high-risk conditions, 50 percent of those deaths would’ve been prevented if that child had received the flu vaccine,” stated Ellen Niemitalo with THD.  “More concerning is children who were otherwise healthy without any other risk factors.  Sixty-five percent of those children, their deaths could’ve been prevented had they received the flu vaccine.”

Vaccinations are part of a goal the health department made to become the healthiest county in the country in the next 10 years.

Since that goal was set last year, Tulsa County has already moved up three spots in the ranking – to the 15th healthiest county in the state.

“It really takes everyone because health is impacted by so much more than just eating right and seeing your local physician,” said Stephens.