Script

EXPERTS WARY OF UPCOMING FLU SEASON
Carol Nwelue, MD, Baylor Scott & White Health

{**ON CAM**}
THE U.S. MAY NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR AN EARLY START TO FLU SEASON THIS YEAR … ACCORDING TO DATA RELEASED BY THE C-D-C THIS MONTH.

{**TAKE VO**}
THE GOOD NEWS?
THE DATA ALSO SUGGESTS THAT THIS YEAR'S FLU SHOT IS DOING A GOOD JOB KEEPING PEOPLE OUT OF THE HOSPITAL.
EXPERTS GENERALLY RECOMMEND GETTING A FLU SHOT BY THE END OF OCTOBER.
INTERNAL MEDICINE PHYSICIAN CAROL NWELUE (UH-WAY-LUH-WAY) SAYS THE MEDICAL FIELD LOOKS TO THE AUSTRALIAN FLU SEASON … WHICH HAPPENS BEFORE OURS … TO PREDICT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE U-S.

{**TAKE SOT**}
Caron Nwelue, MD
Baylor Scott & White Health
TRT: 16
"Unfortunately, things aren't looking good in Australia. They had a pretty heavy flu season, and about 76% of the patients that needed to be admitted were children, 9 years and under. So we're really looking closely at our kids this flu season."

{**ON CAM**}
WHILE INFECTION RATES MAY BE AN OMINOUS INDICATOR FOR THE U-S THE DATA SURROUNDING THE FLU SHOT IS HOPEFUL.
THE C-D-C SAYS SO FAR … THIS YEAR'S SHOT REDUCED OVERALL HOSPITALIZATIONS BY FIFTY PERCENT … AND THAT JUMPED TO SEVENTY PERCENT FOR CHILDREN.