Feverish or sneezy? Step right into this Seattle flu kiosk

Health officials want to map where the flu bug hits Seattle this season, and they're asking people with a fever and itchy noses to help out.

A health coalition called Seattle Flu Study is asking people to report their illness at one of 15 special stations around the city.

Dr. Helen Chu, a professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, says tracking how the flu spreads can help them develop ways to stop it.

"Looking in the community for flu, you actually see it two to three weeks before it arrives in the hospital, which really helps for preparedness for when flu season hits," says Chu.

They ask people who have at least two flu symptoms, like sneezing or a fever, to visit them and give a nasal sample any time during flu season. It will help them build a map of neighborhoods where the virus is widespread. Participants will receive a gift card for participating.

The locations include kiosks at the UW campus, Costco Headquarters, Sea-Tac Airport, Seattle Children's Hospital, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Dr. Chu says they're also in the field looking for the virus.

"We'll be doing some sampling of the air and surfaces to see if there's a role of airborne transmission," she says. "We'll be doing some studies in children to understand how much of a role they play."

Chu says doctors are bracing for a bad Seattle flu season, based on the long flu season in Australia earlier this year.