Dean speaks to WVUA, CBS 42 on spike in flu cases

January 13, 2017

Alabama has seen a spike in the number of flu cases reported, and Dr. Richard Streiffer, dean of The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences, says it isn’t too late to get a flu shot, according to reports from CBS 42 WIAT and WVUA. Alabama joins Arizona and Georgia as the three states in the U.S. with the highest number of flu cases, according to WVUA. Streiffer encourages anyone who hasn’t had a flu shot to go get one, according to CBS 42. “Most insurances will pay for it, but if you don’t have insurance … whatever it costs is a pretty good investment as opposed to the risk of an expensive complication and hospitalization and loss of time from work,” Streiffer said to CBS 42. Streiffer told WVUA that he is unsure why there is an increase in flu cases in Alabama. “But it doesn’t appear that the flu that is in the community is anymore severe this year than in prior years,” Streiffer said in the report. “The flu vaccine should be protective to the majority of the population.” Streiffer says it is not too late to get a flu shot, according to the report. View both reports: