Public health officials say despite the approaching arrival of spring, flu season is still far from over, and people are still being urged to get vaccinated. Indiana public health officials have reported six recent flu deaths, and 16 for the season, most of them from h1n1, the virus that caused a pandemic last year.Indiana Department of Public Health Respiratory Epidemiologist Shawn Richards says it’s not too late to get a flu shot. "Flu shots are still very effective and if you haven’t been vaccinated, it’s not going to harm you to go ahead and get vaccinated, and it is your best protection against the virus," she said.Richards says a single shot is now effective against both the H1N1 and seasonal flus.Indiana and Kentucky are both reporting widespread flu activity. Flu season typically runs through May.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.