(Radio Iowa) — We are only in the second week of October — but the state’s top doctor is recommending you get your flu shot. Iowa Department of Public Health Medical Director Caitlin Pedati (puh-DOT-ee) says the time is right. “We like to suggest that people get it between two and four weeks before they are exposed,” Pedati explains,”so that’s where this recommendation for trying to get this done before the end of October comes from.” She says if you get a flu shot now you don’t have to worry about being protected. “It takes your body a little bit of time to develop immunity once you’ve gotten the vaccine. So, you want to give your body that time before you would ever be exposed to the virus,” according to Pedati.

Doctor Pedati says the warmer weather we’ve had lately probably doesn’t make people think about winter and the flu. “I think sometimes people do kind of think ‘oh gosh is it a little bit early,’ but again the idea is that you really want to get the vaccine in time to give your immune system that time to build the immune response so that when you do come up against the real virus you’ve got that protection in place,” Pedati says. She says others might worry getting the vaccine too early would allow it to wear off. “There’s been research on whether or not your immunity kind of goes down over the course of the season — and so people wonder is it too early, too late, where is that sweet spot?,” Pedati says. “It’s a little bit hard to say exactly where that right time is — but we do think that probably the ideal time is by the end of October to give yourself that time to get that immunity built. And I can tell you I got mine at the mid to end of September.”

Doctor Pedati says there should be an ample supply of the vaccine. She says if you wonder where you can get the flu shot you should check with your health care provider, your insurance company or your local health department should give you the information you need. Pedati says the shot is often covered by insurance. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone six months of age or older get the flu vaccine.

Police in Creston said today (Thursday), that 39-year old Amanda Carney, of Creston, was arrested at around 6-p.m. Wednesday, for Disorderly Conduct. Carney was later released from the Union County Jail on a $300 bond. And, a hit-and-run accident occurred at around 3-a.m., Wednesday, in Creston. Authorities say a 2016 Ford Escape was legally parked on S. Maple Street when it was struck by an unknown southbound vehicle. That vehicle then left the scene. Damage from the collision amounted to $2,000.

The Creston P-D said also, no injuries were reported when a 2014 Chevy pickup driven by 67-year old Frederick Franklin, of Creston, backed out of a business driveway in front of a 2006 Chevy SUV. The SUV, driven by 51-year old Michelle Riley, of Bedford, struck the pickup on the rear-end, causing a total of $1,800 damage. Franklin was given a warning for unsafe backing.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — University of Iowa officials say they’ve temporarily suspended nine fraternities for incidents with alcohol. The chapters suspended Wednesday pending further investigation are accused of violating a university moratorium on alcohol at fraternity and sorority parties. The nine are: Pi Kappa Alpha, Beta Theta Pi, Pi Kappi Phi, Acacia, Sigma Pi, Phi Delta Theta, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Delta Chi.

University vice president Melissa Shivers says “the blatant and systemic failure to curb holding dangerous open events with alcohol, including tailgates, will stop.” At a news conference Wednesday, Shivers didn’t describe any specific events or incidents that led to the suspensions.

The suspensions mean the chapters cannot participate in some organization-sponsored meetings, programs, social events, intramural sports or homecoming activities.

ANKENY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa farmer says thousands of his honeybees died after someone vandalized their hives. Jake Knutson said Wednesday that someone removed straps holding down three of his hives near the Ankeny airport last week and then damaged them with logs, bricks and cinder blocks, knocking off the tops. That left the bees to die in the rain that’s been covering central Iowa over the past several days.
When he returned to the hives, he found that one had been knocked over again and another was teetering on its stand.

No arrests have been reported. In another incident of hive vandalism , Sioux City police arrested boys 12 and 13 after 50 hives were knocked over in December, killing at least 500,000 bees.