Flu Season is in Full Swing
1/15/2015
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (Jan. 16, 2015) -- As doctor’s offices, urgent care centers and hospitals are seeing, flu season is active, with hospitalization rates close to what they were two years ago. Flu is one of the nation's leading causes of death, with roughly 24,000 people a year dying from flu and its complications. Latest figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the flu hitting hard in all but seven states.
Commonwealth Health has seen a growing number of flu-symptomatic patients in the emergency room this flu season. Numerous patients have also been admitted for treatment of flu-related complications.
While health officials fear this will be an unusually bad year for flu, it's too soon to say. The timing of the flu is unpredictable and can vary in different parts of the country and from season to season. Flu activity most commonly peaks in the United States between December and February but can continue as late as May.
The good news: it’s not too late to get the flu shot. Even if the flu season peaks soon, it will still be around for months.
There are three main things you can do to be safe this flu season:
Vaccinate. Get the flu shot for yourself and everyone in your family. It’s available at your doctor’s office and many urgent care centers in our area, with many offering same-day appointments. The CDC recommends everyone older than six months, except people with severe egg allergies, get immunized. Both shot and nasal spray vaccine forms are safe and effective and rarely have side effects.
Get Treatment. If you do get the flu, your doctor or an urgent care center can prescribe antiviral medication to treat flu illness and prevent serious flu complications. Children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses are particularly vulnerable to catching the flu and experiencing complications. It’s important to treat high-risk individuals promptly to avoid hospitalization. Treatment with antiviral medication works best when begun within 48 hours of getting sick, but can still be beneficial when given later in the course of illness. These drugs can also lessen serious flu complications.
Prevention. Stay away from sick people and wash your hands frequently to reduce the spread of germs. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, and resist touching your eyes, mouth and nose. Avoid close contact with people who have the flu or symptoms and if you’re sick with the flu, stay home from work or school to prevent spreading it to others.
To find a primary care doctor visit “Find a Doctor” or call 1-800-838-WELL.
Remember that this information is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor, but rather to increase awareness and provide you with information for conversations with your physician.
