Sheldon, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Public Health has announced that there has been a second influenza death take place in Iowa this season.
According to the IDPH, this second death was an elderly man in central Iowa. The first influenza-related death of the season, which was reported last month by the IDPH, involved an elderly woman, also from central Iowa. Four different flu strains have been confirmed in Iowa, meaning an unprotected person could get sick with the flu four times.
Tracey Wylie is a pharmacist at the Hy-Vee Pharmacy in Sheldon, and she tells KIWA that neither of the Iowans who lost their lives so far this flu season appeared to have had flu shots.
Wylie offered some tips to avoid getting, and spreading, the flu.
The Iowa Department of Public Health tells us that the vaccine being administered this year is a very good match for each of the four identified strains of flu. They say getting your flu shot now will offer some immediate protection, but it takes around a week or two before it offers full protection.
