Flu season arrives for holidays
Holidays are upon us — and so is the flu.
Extra Individuals are getting contaminated with seasonal influenza and searching for care, in line with Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention information.
“It’s clearly the season,” Dr. Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner, a medical epidemiologist within the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention’s Influenza Division, instructed USA TODAY.
One essential step, if folks haven’t completed so, is to get vaccinated, he mentioned. Full safety takes a pair weeks to kick in, nevertheless it has advantages in stopping severe sickness.
“The flu season nonetheless has weeks to go, so they may nonetheless get safety from the flu shot in the event that they get it quickly,” he mentioned.
Final yr, the flu led to 470,000 hospitalizations and 28,000 deaths.
Together with COVID-19 and different respiratory viruses, the flu thrives in colder winter months as folks spend extra time indoors.
Here’s what to find out about the place the flu is at present spreading and how you can shield your self.
The place is flu circulating?
Seasonal flu viruses are dominated by influenza A and B.
Most seasonal flu viruses are influenza kind A, which often begin earlier within the season, with kind B viruses circulating later within the winter. At present, A viruses, of H1N1 and H3N2, are circulating with exercise in lots of southern and western states, CDC information reveals.
Wastewater surveillance, a instrument used to detect ailments from municipal therapy vegetation, equally reveals excessive ranges of influenza A circulating throughout the U.S., along with SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus. Influenza B transmission is low for now.
Annual flu vaccines are based mostly on suggestions from a federal advisory committee that appears at viruses inflicting illness final yr, how viruses have modified, and illness developments, in line with the Meals and Drug Administration.
Vaccines look like largely efficient towards at present circulating viruses, regardless of earlier issues that they won’t be, in line with Richard Webby, a virologist at St. Jude’s Youngsters’s Analysis Hospital, in Memphis, Tennessee.
Vaccination stays a lot decrease than in prior years, mentioned Azziz-Baumgartner, of CDC. Final yr, solely about half of Individuals acquired their annual flu shot.
Who’s in danger for extreme an infection
With the flu, somebody can have a comparatively gentle illness that lasts only some days, or find yourself with extreme sickness that lands them within the hospital. Former President Invoice Clinton, age 78, simply spent Monday night time within the hospital to get handled for the flu, for instance.
The flu virus spreads primarily by droplets launched when folks cough, sneeze or discuss. However, in contrast to the virus that causes COVID-19, folks also can unfold it by touching surfaces the place droplets have landed, after which contact their nostril, mouth or eyes.
Some persons are at better danger for severe issues from the flu, akin to older adults, people who find themselves pregnant, younger youngsters and anybody with power well being situations like bronchial asthma, diabetes or coronary heart illness.
Is it the flu, chilly or one thing else?
Flu signs range, however they sometimes embody:
- fever or feeling feverish or chills,
- cough,
- sore throat,
- runny or stuffy nostril,
- muscle or physique aches, or fatigue or tiredness,
- complications,
- vomiting or diarrhea, although that is extra frequent in youngsters.
With respiratory viruses, together with the frequent chilly, it may be laborious to inform what’s behind a cough and sneeze, and perhaps fever. However there are some indicators.
Signs for COVID-19 can present up later than a chilly or the flu, in line with the Mayo Clinic. A fever is uncommon and muscle aches and tiredness don’t occur with a chilly.
A headache can be frequent with flu and COVID-19, nevertheless it’s not typical with a chilly. A dry cough is extra frequent with COVID-19 than flu.
What can I do to guard myself?
A flu vaccine for everybody ages 6 months and older is essential, Azziz-Baumgartner, of CDC, mentioned. As well as, folks ought to stop the unfold of germs.
This consists of frequent hand washing with cleaning soap and water, masking coughs and sneezes, and keep away from touching your eyes, nostril and mouth, CDC mentioned.
Like different respiratory viruses, folks ought to keep away from contact with others who’re sick. When you’re sick, you must keep residence till each your signs are enhancing and you have not had a fever for twenty-four hours.
Antiviral medicine prescribed by a health care provider can deal with the flu, however not colds and totally different ones are wanted for COVID-19. They’re finest when used inside just a few days of creating signs.
A face masks also can scale back danger of you or another person spreading the flu.
How lengthy am I contagious?
Most wholesome folks with the flu can infect others for a couple of day earlier than signs present, and as much as every week after now not having signs, in line with Dr. Pranita Tamma, a pediatric infectious illness specialist at Johns Hopkins Youngsters’s Middle, in an article.
Individuals with weakened immune techniques may be contagious for a number of weeks.
(This story was up to date to appropriate an error.)
