Soon the fall season will be upon us and we will see changes in the weather as well. However, that also means that another season is drawing closer, and that is flu season.

While it may still be warm during the day, residents should plan ahead and start thinking about getting the flu shot rather than waiting.

Doctors, local pharmacies or health departments may already have the flu shots available, or they will in the near future.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that 5 percent to 20 percent of the United States population gets the flu, and deaths can range from an estimated 3,000 to 49,000.

These facts are startling and should grab the attention of all of us.

The conversation has been ongoing for many years about the effectiveness of the flu shot and it is certainly worth the conversation. In a majority of the cases, those who have received the flu shot have decreased the chances or the severity of influenza.

Does getting the shot mean that a person will not ultimately get the flu? No, but getting the flu shot does have several benefits.

At the end of the day, a person doesn’t want to get sick and then worry about the shot.

Planning now can save issues later.