It’s that time of year again, as local clinics see a surge in the number of flu shots being given this year. However, it’s not too late if you want to boost your immune system against the advent of flu season; experts are saying that there’s still time (and plenty of supply) to get your flu shot before the peak of flu season.

Flu season normally hits its peak in February, but it’s not uncommon for it to continue into spring. Though there has been a low number of cases reported so far this year, Donn Moyer, spokesman for the Washington State Department of Health, says that people shouldn’t use that as an excuse to be unprepared:

“If you haven’t gotten it yet, now is the time to get a flu shot,”he said.

Flu season seems tame this year, but Moyer’s point is that we’re not out of the woods yet. Though the flu may not seem like such a big deal since many are quite capable of handily overcoming it with nothing but their God-given constitutions, the average flu can still cause life-threatening complications such as pneumonia, and said complications usually claim about 36,000 lives a year.

Clinics have seen year-after-year increases in the number of people seeking annual immunization, with Group Health administering 145,992 vaccine shots so far this year, up from 142,271 over last year’s entire flu season. One reason for this is that vaccine manufacturers have stepped up their game in order to keep pace with rising demand, hence this year’s ample supply.

Did you get your flu shot or do you think the whole thing is a scam? Let us know your thoughts down below.

Experts Say There Are Plenty Of Flu Shots To Go Around is a post from: The Inquisitr

Country legend Loretta Lynn is back home and taking it easy after a brief scare with Bacterial Pneumonia.

Lynn, 76, was taken ill Saturday on her tour bus and transported to a hospital for treatment. A representative for the singer later disclosed on Lynn’s website:

“Around 1:30 AM Saturday morning, Loretta awoke on her tour bus complaining that she was having a hard time breathing.”

Later, reps for the singer added:

“Loretta regretfully must cancel her shows for Ashland Ky, and Durham, NC for this weekend, due to illness. Doctors have diagnosed her as the beginning stages pneumonia, and will continue to need rest. Loretta is doing well and is disappointed but feels confident she will be ready for upcoming November dates.”

Country website The Boot says that Lynn could be back up and singing by November 3rd, a date that’s rapidly approaching. While that sounds like an extremely brief recovery period for someone Lynn’s age, the singer recovered relatively quickly from a knee replacement earlier this year and got back up on stage to perform before her most recent illness.

The singer herself has commented on the incident and her recovery, pledging to rest at home until she’s well enough to perform. Lynn says:

“It was one scary night … But I am feeling better and just gonna take it easy for a couple of weeks!”

I’ve only had the pleasure of seeing Lynn perform once live, with the White Stripes at the Hammerstein Ballroom- Jack White and Lynn’s rendition of “Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man” was amazing, but no recording seems to exist, so here is the duo performing “Portland, Oregon.”

Loretta Lynn Out of the Hospital After “Scary” Night is a post from: The Inquisitr

Country legend Loretta Lynn was hospitalized on Saturday with the “beginning stages [of] pneumonia” according to her rep. The 76-year-old singer is said to be in stable condition.

According to her rep she’s “doing well” although she has been forced to cancel shows in Kentucky and North Carolina that were scheduled for this coming weekend.

Shows cancelled for this coming weekend include a Saturday performance at the Performing Arts Center in Ashland, Ky. and Sunday in Durham, N.C.

Loretta Lynn Enterprises on Saturday posted the following message on the singer’s official website:

“Doctors have diagnosed her as the beginning stages pneumonia, and will continue to need rest. Loretta is doing well and is disappointed but feels confident she will be ready for upcoming November dates.”

Lynn has been facing an uphill battle over the last year, in August the singer was forced to undergo knee surgery that saw shows cancelled and earlier in the year Lynn cancelled shows in Connecticut and Ohio after she suffered from heat exhaustion.

We wish Loretta Lynn a quick and safe recovery as pneumonia at her age must be carefully monitored and can be painful and exhausting to fend off.

Loretta Lynn Hospitalized With Pneumonia is a post from: The Inquisitr

Four months after the fact, actor Jeff Conaway’s death has been determined to be accidental.

Autopsy reports show that Conaway died due to complications involving septic emboli, aortic valve endocarditis, coronary artery disease, pneumonia, and encephalopathy – a brain disorder that can cause loss of cognitive functions and an altered mental state, among other symptoms.

Prior to his death on May 27, Conaway had been hospitalized after he was found unconscious in his Los Angeles area home on May 11. He was in a coma and remained unresponsive until he died due to multiple complications over two weeks later.

Conaway had been struggling with addiction to prescription and nonprescription drugs in addition to alcohol. In 2008, his struggle with addiction was documented on Dr. Drew’s “reality-treatment” show Celebrity Rehab.

As Conaway was in a hospital for over two weeks before his death, officials opted not to perform a toxicology report on the actor, as any test would have come up clean.

Conaway was best known for his role as “Kenickie” in the 70s hit movie musical Grease. He was also well known for portraying cab-driving Bobby Wheeler on 80s comedy sitcom Taxi.

Source: Reuters

[Image: Getty Iamges]

Jeff Conaway’s death determined to be accidental is a post from: The Inquisitr

Trish Keenan, singer of the British electronic pop duo Broadcast has died of complications from pneumonia after reportedly contracting H1N1, Warp Records has announced.

In a statement on their website, Broadcast’s label said:

“It is with great sadness we announce that Trish Keenan from Broadcast passed away at 9am this morning in hospital,” Warp Records said on its website. “She died from complications with pneumonia after battling the illness for two weeks in intensive care. Our thoughts go out to James, Martin, her friends and her family and we request that the public respect their wishes for privacy at this time. This is an untimely tragic loss and we will miss Trish dearly – a unique voice, an extraordinary talent and a beautiful human being. Rest in peace.”

The band was formed in 1995, and released three albums in their time together. Broadcast supplied music for an Austin Powers film and Showtime’s The L Word. Most recently, the band collaborated in 2009 with Focus Group.

Broadcast singer Trish Keenan dies of pneumonia, H1N1 is a post from: The Inquisitr

What started out as a rumor is true: Bernie Mac has passed away from complications with a severe case of pneumonia, with his rep confirming the sad news:

“Actor/ comedian Bernie Mac passed away this morning from complications due to pneumonia in a Chicago area hospital. No other details are available at this time. We ask that his family’s privacy continues to be respected.”

In a touching tribute to the hilarious family man, actors-slash-comedians spoke out regarding Bernie’s early, untimely, and frankly pretty surprising death (considering that his rep had just told us yesterday that he was “make a full recovery.”

Tributes from Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Chris Rock After the Jump!

From Brad Pitt: “”I lament the loss of a ferociously funny and hardcore family man. My thoughts are with [his wife] Rhonda and their family. Bernie Mac, you are already missed.”

From George Clooney: “The world just got a little less funny. He will be dearly missed.”

From Chris Rock
: “Bernie Mac was one of the best and funniest comedians to ever live but that was the second best thing he did. Bernie was one of the greatest friends a person could have. Losing him is like losing 12 people because he absolutely filled up any room he was in. I’m gonna miss the Mac Man.”

Image: WireImage

Touching Tributes to Bernie Mac Revealed is a post from: The Inquisitr