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Schools, hospitals prepare for potentially rough flu season

Flu shots aren't the only thing health officials are doing to stop people from catching the flu.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Scientists think this could be one of the worst flu seasons ever, based on new data from Australia.

Experts typically use data from countries in the Southern Hemisphere to get an idea of what North America can expect come winter. During their flu season, Australia had four times as many flu cases as it did the year before.

But local hospitals and schools are trying to prevent a bad flu season by stepping up preventative measures now. 

In Anderson County, schools are offering flu shots to students with parental permission. 

"The flu shot is the first line of defense," nursing manager Kathryn Price said. "We want to be able to give them the flu shot."

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Price said the county is also working to educate their students about how to stop the spread of infections by washing their hands frequently and covering their mouth while coughing.

"If students aren't here in schools, then they can't learn," Price said. "We need them to be healthy."

Anderson County also has Victory Sprayers in all of its schools to help sanitize continuously. 

University of Tennessee Medical Center infectious diseases physician Mark Rasnake said teaching people about good preventative measures is key.

"If you're sick and you think you have the flu, get evaluated," he said. "Don't go to work sick with flu like symptoms and expose other people. Don't send kids to school when they have the flu."

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He said things like that can help minimize the impact on others. UT Medical Center is also in the middle of their employee flu shot campaign. 

"Now is the time to prepare," Rasnake said. "Getting your vaccine now regardless of when [flu season] starts can help protect you for the whole flu season."

Rasnake said the vaccine takes about two weeks to kick in, so getting it once everyone around you is sick won't work. 

In Tennessee, the Centers for Disease Control are reporting sporadic influenza activity. The East Tennessee Children's Hospital has treated two cases of the flu since Sept. 30. 

"We are currently in the process of getting all Children’s Hospital staff immunized against flu," public relations manager Erica Estep said. "As a pediatric hospital, we have infection prevention policies in place year round to protect all who enter our facility from infectious disease."

Estep said the Children's Hospital is also asking all NICU parents and visitors to get their flu shots, though there are no visitation restrictions at this time. That could change if flu activity starts to pick up.

"We all keep a very close eye on [flu activity]," Rasnake said. "We work with our public health partners to share information so that we're prepared when the first cases of flu start to show up."

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