Flu season is in full swing and more and more people are developing the virus.

According to LHS School Nurse Cathleen Bertoncini, this year’s virus could be worse than last year’s.

“I think the flu can be dangerous to certain individuals,” explained Bertoncini. “Some may include: compromised individuals, elderly people, infants, and pregnant women. I think it’s important that people get vaccinations to help these individuals who are more prone to get the flu and its complications to it.”

She warned that while healthy teens can fight off the flu,  they can expose others at higher risk to it if not vaccinated.

LHS School Nurse Bonnie Keckler added “People should get vaccinated, (the vaccine) is better than last year when the flu shot wasn’t effective as they thought.”

Keckler added tips to help stop the spread of the flu. “You should always do hand-washing, don’t cough and sneeze in your hands, go into your elbow. There’s a new antiviral treatment for the flu, so it’s not so bad.”

The nurses remind that a lot of people think the flu is the stomach bug that produces nausea and gastrointestinal upset. It is not. It is a respiratory infection whose symptoms include fever, cough, and muscle weakness.