Public-health officials are urging shots now rather than waiting for the usual October push. Influenza activity is rising several weeks earlier than usual across the southern states, and vaccination rates are running below last year’s pace, health officials said on Thursday. The early start mirrors the pattern seen in the Southern Hemisphere, where the season was both early and severe. Pharmacies report adequate supply. Officials attribute the lag in uptake to fatigue rather than access. A temporary payment adjustment kept hundreds of small hospitals solvent. It ends in December.Flu season arrives early, and vaccination rates lag last year
More in Health
All HealthRural hospitals warn of closures as a funding formula expires
