Flu drives residents south of the border

We’re pretty late into the flu season, but the number of infections in Texas just peaked last month, according to the CDC. As many El Paso residents get sick, some are looking for relief south of the border.

“Flu season came late to El Paso,” said Dr. Jose Manuel Renteria, an El Paso pediatrician.

In response to the virus in the city many residents have looked to Juarez for their remedy.

“About 50 percent of our patients are from El Paso, and most of them come looking for cold or flu medications,” said Juarez pharmacist Araceli Chavira.

But why buy medicine in Mexico? Most say they’re trying to save money

“The dollar is strong right now, so it’s a good time to come over and buy,” said El Pasoan David Mckenney

“Over there it’s like, maybe $23, over here it’s six bucks,” said Steven Forti.

He’s using this time to stock up.

“We’re just getting ready for the, for March, for the windy season,” Forti said.

Cold and flu symptoms are easy to treat, but it’s also easy to take the wrong thing, which can lead to unfortunate side effects

“You can have allergies, you can have bad reactions, rash, you can have diarrhea,” explained Dr. Renteria.

What should people do if they think they’re sick?

“Go see your doctor, have him check you up to see if you have the flu or not,” Dr. Renteria said.

If you plan on buying any cold or flu medication in Juarez, or any kind of medicine at all, remember it needs to be brought back in its original packaging and a copy of the prescription if available.