Medical Experts Say Don't Forget About The Flu, Get Your Shot

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- With dangerous viruses such as Ebola and enterovirus D68 grabbing headlines, medical experts are warning those are not the only illnesses to watch out for.

"We're right at the beginning of flu season right now," said Dr. Dwayne Breining, who runs the North Shore-LIJ Laboratories in Lake Success. "Recently, in the past week or two, we've had a number of positive flu assays."

The flu virus spreads through the air and kills scores of Americans each year, 1010 WINS' Mona Rivera reported.

Between 1976 and 2006, estimates of flu-related deaths in the country were as low as 3,000 and as high as about 49,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"It makes less headlines because it's been here all the time -- flu is actually much more transmissible," Breining said.

The average person is much more likely to catch the flu virus than Ebola, according to Breining.

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"The risk of getting Ebola is extremely remote," Breining said. "There's a lot of focus right now on Ebola, it's the first time this country has ever really had to deal with that."

Medical professionals and others say take a break from worrying about Ebola and get your flu shot.

"Right now is the time you should get it," Breining said.

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