Time for a Flu-shot in the Arm to Keep You Kicking

It can appear that it is too early to take the flu-shot but experts have announced that it should be taken as soon as possible. The bulk of the immunizations should be arriving in most area doctors' offices in the next couple weeks.

The Centers for Disease Control advises that people should get the flu vaccine as soon as it is available. Officials there say the protection each person gets is strong enough to last throughout the flu season, which generally peaks in January or February but can start in October and last through May.

Experts say, though, this year's flu shot is exactly same as last year's, but you should get it again as last year's may have worn off.

The vaccine usually changes annually to combat the three primary forms of the ever-shifting influenza virus circulating that year. You need a new shot because the virus is different enough from its past incarnations that your immune system won't recognize it.

Thousands of people die from seasonal influenza every year, even though the deaths are preventable with the annual vaccine. There's been a hard press put on healthcare workers in recent years to increase the number of flu vaccine beneficiaries each year.

This year's vaccine protects against H1N1 and two other strains of influenza.

Unlike the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, there is no indication of any flu virus in wide circulation this year.

While isolated cases do occur year-round, people who believe they have the flu actually may be suffering from sinus infections.

There were two new swine flu cases were also identified in the states of Pennsylvania and Indiana.

Federal and state health officials have said that a new swine flu strain recently sickened two preschool age children in Pennsylvania and Indiana, but they cautioned the cases appear to be isolated.

Both of the children recovered, however, and there is no evidence that the virus is spreading easily among people, meaning that it does not appear to pose a threat of becoming a significant public health concern, officials said.