CDC Says the Season Is Here: Where to Get Flu Shots in Burlington

Here's where to get an influenza vaccine, how to recognize symptoms and what to know about treatment if you get sick.

  Flu season is coming early in some parts of the country: This time last year, flu cases were lower in Boston than they are now, according to data on Google's Flu Trends.  Overall in Massachusetts, activity is considered high now; it was considered moderate at this time last year, according to Flu Trends. If you're considering getting a flu shot, here are some places in Burlington that offer the vaccine (besides your own doctor, of course): More locations According to this week's CDC Flu activity report, influenza levels are on the increase across the country.  Five states – Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee – are reporting flu rates not normally seen until January, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The flu …

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CDC: Get a Flu Shot This Year

It's National Influenza Vaccination Week and this year is shaping up to be one of the worst flu seasons in a while. Did you get your flu shot?

More than one-third of United States residents have already been vaccinated against the influenza virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday. With National Influenza Vaccination Week, which started last Sunday and ends Saturday, health officials aim to increase that percentage, especially since this year's season may be a bad one. Influenza—more commonly known as simply "the flu"—is a contagious respiratory illness caused by viruses infecting the nose, throat and lungs. It spreads via infected people coughing, sneezing or talking, though people can also get infected by touching something with the flu virus on it before touching their mouth, eyes or nose. The 2012-2013 season is shaping up to be one of the worst …

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Life in the Mom Lane

How to Handle Back to School Bugs

With school underway, kids are going to start getting sick. Find out how to prevent that from happening.

As most moms know, back to school means a lot of different things. Busier schedules, homework, fall sports, a whole new set of after school activities, and, of course, back to school bugs.  Frankly it almost seems inevitable that, no matter how old a child is, they always seem to catch some kind of illness within the first few weeks of school. Now, before anyone gets crazy here I am not saying that school makes kids sick! I am, however, saying that it seems like the change in seasons, the change in schedules and even the change in scenery all seem to contribute to an almost inescapable case of something. Take, for example, my friend Colleen. Her daughter started the first grade less than a week ago and was already sidelined with a case of …

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