Flu Activity in Georgia, U.S. Deemed 'Intense'

Flu season is in full swing in the U.S.

According to estimates on Google's Flu Trends, the flu in the U.S. and Georgia since December has been ranked "intense," the highest level on the chart.

This ranking is much higher than in previous years. Since 2006, there have been only two times when the level peaked slightly to "intense": August 2009 and February 2008.

Those times were still nowhere near the high intensity level now, though.

If you haven't gotten the flu shot yet, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly suggests to get vaccinated, calling it everyone's "best defense."

Here are some places in Lawrenceville that offer the vaccine:

You can find more locations here.

The Atlanta organization also says to take the regular precautions: Cover coughs and wash hands often.

There's this report in the New York Times saying that the vaccine may not be as effective as we think, though. The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota released a report in October that indicated that the influenza vaccinations "provide only modest protection for healthy young and middle-age adults, and little if any protection for those 65 and older."

Have you gotten the shot this year, or do you plan to get one soon? Tell us in the comments.