NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Flu deaths among children continue to rise in Tennessee.
The Tennessee Department of Health said ten children have died from the flu in the state. Six of those children were in East Tennessee, three in Middle Tennessee and one in West Tennessee.
“When folks cough or sneeze, it’s really important to do it sort of in your elbow or in your shoulder, and not just right in your hands because then folks go out, they touch surfaces or they shake hands and that’s sort of handing it off directly to the person you’re touching,” says Dr. Tim Jones, the Chief Medical Officer for the State of Tennessee.
A free flu vaccine is still available while supplies last at many local health departments. Click here to find a location near you.
"It’s possible to get the flu after getting a vaccine but even in that rare situation, it will make it milder and much less likely to be hospitalized or die from the flu,” says Dr. Jones.
He encouraged people to call or go to the doctor when they begin to feel ill since most flu medications need to be taken within a couple days of getting the flu.
