By Carol A. Cates, MSN, MBA, RN
Chief Nursing Officer
Odessa Regional Medical Center
For a couple years, I wondered if flu had changed from a seasonal pattern to a year-round one. When COVID was at its worst didn’t seem to have much flu circulating (Thank God). Then as COVID started to ease, flu showed its ugly head again, but it wasn’t in the seasonal pattern that occurred before COVID, it seemed to be more random and year-round. But I guess in one more way the changes brought about by the pandemic are resolving. Which in the case of flu means, we are seeing seasonal flu again. Unfortunately, flu is not alone, we are seeing all the seasonal respiratory illnesses coming back again. RSV, strep, and common colds are also being diagnosed at high levels. The latest variant of COVID is out there too. That means we all need to start taking precautions again to prevent the spread of seasonal illness, just as we did before the pandemic.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 38 states are reporting high or very high levels of respiratory illness. Texas is one of those 38 states. Flu is the condition that is most prevalent and is increasing at the highest rate among the current respiratory illnesses. The CDC expects flu to be elevated for several more weeks. They are also anticipating flu rates will get worse before they get better, with an expected peak near the end of January. The CDC estimates that since October (the traditional start of flu season) 10 million people have gotten the flu, 110,000 people have been hospitalized with flu and 6,500 people have died from flu in the U.S.
The best way to deal with flu or any respiratory illness is prevention. The CDC recommends several ways to avoid getting and spreading the flu this flu season. 1) Avoid close contact with people who are sick. 2) Stay home when you are sick. 3) Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and throw the tissue away immediately after. 4) Wash your hands often, especially after coughing or sneezing. If you cannot wash your hands with soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. 5) Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Touching your face when your hands have germs on them is like giving those germs an escalator ride into your body. 6) Practice good health and cleanliness habits. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces in your environment, especially if someone is ill. Get plenty of sleep and exercise, drink plenty of water, eat meals high in nutrients and fiber and manage stress levels. All of those things will help your immune system fight off infections and help you recover more quickly if you do become ill.
The best tool, however, for preventing or reducing the severity of respiratory illness is vaccination. The flu vaccination this season has shown to be very good at preventing or reducing flu severity. The problem with flu vaccinations, and really all vaccinations, is they require planning ahead. It takes about 2 weeks for a vaccination to become effective in fighting off a disease. That is also why if you haven’t been vaccinated for flu yet this season, I strongly encourage you to get your vaccination in the next few days because that way it will be effective as the flu peaks. Even if you can’t get the flu vaccination in the next few days, please still consider getting the vaccination. Flu season will be with us until at least early April.
COVID and RSV also have vaccines available. With COVID, if you have been vaccinated before but haven’t gotten the latest version which is more effective for the new variants consider getting that vaccination as well. Overall, COVID rates are down compared to the last two years, but they are up with the rise in respiratory illnesses this year. For me the biggest reason to get vaccinated for COVID is not that it will always prevent COVID, but that it prevents severe disease. The chances of being hospitalized from COVID are much higher than that of flu. I can honestly say that once the vaccination came out, the only fatalities from COVID that I know about personally have been in unvaccinated people.
I know there is a great deal of debate about the safety and efficacy of vaccination. I am a huge supporter of vaccination because I have repeatedly seen how they save lives. Having said that, I am also a big supporter or everyone’s right to chose what is best for them and their loved ones when it comes to health care. As you make those choices, please make sure you seek advice from well informed and researched sources, not opinions of people who aren’t experts in healthcare. Your primary health care provider is always the best person to help you find resources and help advise you on the best choices for you and your family when it comes to your healthcare needs, including vaccination.
