Flu Season Underway In Colorado, Some Patients Hospitalized

DENVER (CBS4)- The flu season is underway in Colorado with 14 people hospitalized across the state.

State health officials only track influenza hospitalizations, not cases, so it's difficult to tell just how many people across the state have become ill so far this flu season.

Alex Neitro, 6, has a sore throat, cough, fever and body aches. His doctor confirmed he has the flu.

Alex's dad, Mark, has started to get sick with a slight fever and chills. His doctor confimed he also has the flu.

"I got the flu shot about a month ago so I didn't think I'd get sick," said Mark.

Alex didn't get the flu shot. His parents were urged to get the nasal spray, which is believed to work better in young children. They were unable to find a doctor's office that had it in stock.

Mark got his flu shot at work. He learned from his doctor that not every vaccine covers every strain of the flu.

"We know that it's not 100 percent perfect but it's by far the best prevention that we have," said State of Colorado Epidemiologist Dr. Lisa Miller.

Miller believes this is just the beginning of the flu season in Colorado.

"This is typical when we start seeing cases and we will expect that those cases will begin to go up," said Miller.

That usually happens around the holidays as families travel from out of state and gather together.

Miller said it's not too late to fight influenza with the vaccine in any form, "It's much better to get what's available rather than not get vaccinated and be totally unprotected."

Both Mark and Alex were prescribed Tamiflu which they hope will lessen their symptoms and help them feel better soon.