The time to get protection from the influenza (flu) virus ishere with a few hundred doses of vaccine available in LincolnCounty at doctors’ offices and the health department.

“To start with, we got 700 doses, and we have about 400 leftnow. We’ll be getting some more, so there’s no rush,” said BeckyCalcote, county coordinating nurse at the health department.

The health department started giving shots around the first ofthe month. Employees say the response has been slow, but shouldpick up as more people hear that the vaccines are available.

The vaccines, which cost $10 each, are available weekdays from 8a.m. until 4 p.m., except on Thursdays when they are only givenbetween 8 a.m. and noon.

“It will be first come, first serve,” said Calcote.

Influenza, commonly called the flu, is caused by a virus thatspreads from infected persons to the nose or throat of others.

It can cause fever, cough, sore throat, headache, chills andmuscle aches for several days, sometimes leading tohospitalization. Influenza causes thousands of deaths each year,mostly among the elderly.

The vaccine, which is updated each year, develops protectionabout two weeks after the shot is given and may last up to oneyear.

People at high risk are encouraged to get vaccinated in October,with those at less risk encouraged to get the flu shot in October,November and even December.

An annual flu shot is recommended for senior citizens, residentsof long-term care facilities, those with long-term respiratory,blood or kidney health problems, pregnant women who will be pastthe third month of pregnancy during flu season and health careworkers.

Also, people from age six months to 18 years who take aspirin asa long-term treatment should get the vaccine.

The annual flu shot is encouraged for anyone who wants to reducetheir chance of catching influenza or will have contact with thoseat high risk for influenza.

Some people who get the flu vaccine may still get the flu, butthey will usually get a milder case than those who did not get theshot.

The viruses in the vaccine have been killed so people cannot getinfluenza from the vaccine. However, it is capable of causingserious problems, such as allergic reactions, but the chance isslim.