Flu season is a little worse than last year
It’s not too late to get vaccinated, health officials say
Flu season is at its peak in Central Florida, but it’s not too late to get a flu shot.
The vaccine not only protects you, but also those around you.
“If grandma gets vaccinated, she will have protection, but we also want the community around her to get vaccinated so they won’t bring the virus home,” said Dr. Timothy Hendrix, medical director of Florida Hospital Centra Care Urgent Care.
By now, flu is considered widespread in most regions of the country, including Florida, but its severity is only slightly worse than last year, according to national and state data.
The latest health department assessments show that flu activity is increasing in Orange County but stands at a plateau in Lake, Osceola and Seminole counties.
There were 864 flu cases diagnosed at Centra Care urgent care centers in Central Florida in the past seven days, which is 24 more than the same period last year, Hendrix said.
At Nemours Children’s Urgent Care centers, about 10 percent of the patients have had the flu in the month of February so far, compared with 5 percent last February, said medical director Dr. Robert Cooper, which is still not a cause for alarm.
More patients have also had positive flu tests in the past two weeks at his facility, said Dr. Larry Alexander, medical director of the Oviedo Medical Center emergency department.
“So are we going to exceed last year’s numbers?” Hendrix said. “Maybe. Maybe not. But it looks like the numbers are creeping up for now.”
Like last year, the main circulating flu strain — Influenza A (H3) — is associated with more severe illnesses in children and older adults. The majority of hospitalized individuals are the very young and adults who are 65 years and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nationwide, 29 children have died as a result of flu complications this season. Three of them were in Florida.
“I can’t stress enough, if
Diagnosing yourself with the flu can get a bit tricky, especially in Florida, since the allergy season is nearing its height. There are also other viruses in the air causing colds and upper respiratory infections.
you’re feeling sick, stay home,” said Cooper. “Wash your hands. Cover your mouth.”
Diagnosing yourself with the flu can get a bit tricky, especially in Florida, since the allergy season is nearing its height. There are also other viruses in the air causing colds and upper respiratory infections.
But a tell-tale sign of the flu, said Hendrix, “is the sudden onset” of fever and body aches.
“I can easily tell by how miserable the patients are,” he said.
Children may show additional symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting.
So what should you do if you think you have the flu?
If you see providers within the first 48 hours of its onset, they can prescribe an antiviral, which helps shorten the course of the illness by half a day or a full day and somewhat ease up the symptoms, said Alexander.
Meanwhile, over-thecounter medications help control symptoms like fever. Children, pregnant women, older adults and patients with underlying medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes or high blood pressure should see doctors if they think they have the flu to avoid developing pneumonia, which can be deadly. You should also see a doctor if your symptoms get worse after a week.
The flu vaccine is 48 percent effective against this season’s virus.
But don’t look at it as a 50-50 shot at protection, Hendrix said.
Being 48 percent effective against the flu virus “is a success in CDC’s mind,” he said. “It’s substantially reducing the risk of people getting the flu. It doesn’t look that impressive, but it’s the best thing we have out there.”