Munich.  At least half of the Munich population has a cold, running nose and sniffless at the moment. In the next few days we might even see the first snow. The flu season is coming and the Society for Immune Medicine in Munich advices to get vaccinated against flu.

Last winter 253 people in Germany died of complications caused by influenza. The experts have no answer whether this year's flu in Munich belongs to a normal type or an epidemic one. New findings show that pregnant women are particularly affected by flu. Other risk groups are people with chronic diseases, older than 60 years old, travellers and all those who work in the health system.  Doctors state that flu is not just a cold, but a serious, sometimes life-threatening disease. Vaccination is free of charge, health insurance companies cover the costs and vaccination patients do not need to pay 10 euros practice fee.