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GREENSBORO - Feeling under the weather? Got a fever with a sore throat, cough and body aches?

Join the club.

In the Piedmont Triad, flu season is officially here.

Moses Cone Health System's emergency room and urgent care centers have seen a significant jump in patients suffering from the flu.

"Over the past two weeks, we've had a four- to five-fold increase in flu cases," said Lori Mason, public health epidemiologist for Moses Cone. "For the past two weeks it's remained steady at about 150 confirmed flu cases per week. In the weeks leading up to that, we had maybe 30 or fewer per week."

It's the same all over.

"It's actually picking up in a negative way," High Point Regional spokeswoman Diane Reaves said at 11 a.m. Tuesday. "Last week we really didn't see any, but since 7 o'clock this morning we're seen six or seven patients with the flu."

Part of the problem this year is the flu vaccine. Even people who got flu shots are coming down with the flu.

"There's so many different forms, so many different strains of the flu virus," Reaves said. "The year before they make the vaccine, they try to anticipate what strains will be prevalent. They're guessing, not like you and I guess, but they're guessing. They do a lot of research and most times they get it right. Sometimes they don't. You should still have a flu shot. It will protect you from those strains, and even if you get another strain it can speed the recovery."

Contact Jeff Mills at 373-7024 or jeff.mills@news-record.com