People can get flu up to three times this flu season

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Because of the flu Willie Nelson won’t be on the road again until the end of this month. The country superstar is just one of thousands of Texans dealing with the flu.

“I was at work. I was having terrible chills and I said 'something is going on,'” said Mark Latour.

Latour says he was diagnosed with the flu about two weeks ago and spent six days in bed.

“I would have felt terrible if I would have given it to someone else,” Latour said.

And like everyone else who has had the flu, Latour can get it again and possibly even a third time this flu season.

“You can absolutely get influenza more than once because there’s more than one strain circulating,” said Dr. Joshua Septimus with Houston Methodist.

Latour, like many others, got a flu shot but still ended up catching the flu.

“Well I was disappointed, but I would still recommend everyone get the flu shot,” Latour said.

Dr. Septimus agrees. He says if you haven’t done it yet go get a flu shot ASAP. While it might not prevent the flu, you’re more likely to get a milder case of it.

Septimus says you become contagious a day before you feel any symptoms and some people continue to shed the virus even after they’ve gotten better.

So when is it time to visit your doctor or the ER?

“If you start to develop shortness of breath or a severe cough that makes it difficult to breathe, we want to hear from you as your physicians,” said Septimus.

The flu is very serious for the elderly, the young, anyone dealing with a compromised immune system and pregnant women.

“We’ve seen year after year pregnant women are at a very high risk from complications from the flu,” said Septimus.