Health professionals in Muskingum County are making one final push for flu vaccinations before the holidays arrive and flu season reaches its peak.

Last week, Medical Director at the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department Dr. Jack Butterfield and Dr. Jignesh Modi, who specializes in infectious disease at Genesis Hospital, advised the public to take precautions to prevent the spread of the flu.

According to Butterfield, while friends and family come together for parties and gatherings, the holiday spirit isn’t the only thing they’ll be spreading. Butterfield said there is also risk of spreading the flu virus.

“This is kind of an ideal time to get the vaccine because it takes 10 to 14 days for the vaccine to build up enough immunity in your system to be helpful,” said Butterfield.

Butterfield said anyone over the age of six-months should be vaccinated for the flu, and anyone 65 years and older should ask for the high dose vaccine.

“The vaccine is safe. It is a killed virus, so it cannot give you influenza, and it is available at primary care offices, pharmacies, works places, the health department,” said Butterfield. “It is widely available. We strongly recommend that you get that.”

So far in Ohio, Modi and Butterfield said flu cases are taking off at a slightly faster rate than the average over the past five years.

However, Butterfield said there hasn’t been much flu activity locally.

Should more cases arise, Modi said restrictions will be put in place at Genesis limiting those who may visit patients based on their age, relation to the patient and overall health condition.

Those restrictions have not been put in place this winter.

“The flu tends to peak in December and January, and if you get it now, you are prepared for that. It’s also better to be proactive and prevent an epidemic in our community than wait until it happens and have to shut everything down and put restrictions in place, that sort of thing,” said Butterfield.

According to Modi, more people have been vaccinated for the flu each year over time.

“If you go back 20 years, the percentage of the population that got vaccinated is a fraction of what it is now,” said Modi. “Hospital employees weren’t required to get vaccinated back then.”

Now, vaccinations are available at most pharmacies and are often provided by employers, Modi said.

In addition to getting vaccinated, Butterfield said the public should also wash their hand frequently, use disposable nasal tissues and stay out of the public when sick, including missing school or work.

“You have to use common sense to avoid spreading this virus,” said Butterfield.

Modi said he intends to work closely with the the health department this flu season to prevent the spread of the virus.