Flu shots

Influenza activity levels are increasing, with several positive flu specimens reported in north Alabama during the last three weeks.

While the flu season is just getting started in much of the country, activity is already elevated in Alabama with providers reporting 3.59 percent of outpatient visits due to influenza-like illness. Flu is a very contagious respiratory illness. Some of the symptoms of influenza include fever, cough, sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, headache, muscle aches, and extreme fatigue, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.

“Providers reporting increased percentages of patients with influenza-like illness and influenza samples sent to public health provide an indication of the geographic spread of influenza in Alabama,” said Dr. Karen Landers, district medical officer. “This is concerning because influenza can be a serious disease for anyone, even children, pregnant women, and previously healthy young adults.”

An annual influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months and older and is the best prevention against getting the flu. Physicians, pharmacists and county health departments can provide flu vaccinations. Request the “quadrivalent vaccine,” Landers said, the one that protects against four influenza strains, because one of the strains in circulation in Alabama (Type B/Yamagata) is only included in the quadrivalent vaccine.

Cullman Regional reports the flu has definitely arrived in the area.

“We have seen a significant increase in the number of positive flu tests over the past seven days; 30 positives over the past seven days as compared to four positives in the previous seven days,” said Lindsey Dossey, executive director of Marketing & Community Relations at Cullman Regional.

Most of the positives are for flu Type A at94 percent,” Dossey added. “However, we have seen a couple of cases of flu Type B as well.”

The flu is impacting individuals of all ages this year, some as young as infants under 6 months to seniors more than 55 years old and all ages in between, Dossey said.

According to Cullman Regional Infection Control Nurse Marti Smith, the best way to prevent the spread of the flu is to keep anyone with symptoms isolated and away from school or work to prevent additional spreading of the illness. It is especially important to stay away from anyone who is considered high risk for flu-related complications such as hospitalized patients with compromised immune systems, people with a chronic medical condition such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease, and small children and infants, pregnant women, and anyone 65 years or older.

Attached are a list of symptoms, emergency warning signs, treatment guidelines and prevention tips. 

“Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread it to others. It’s not too late to get a flu shot to protect against this serious disease. People become protected about two weeks after receiving the vaccine,” Landers said.

Contact your private provider, pharmacy or local county health department to receive an influenza vaccination. For more information contact the Immunization Division of the Alabama Department of Public Health at (334) 206-5023 or toll free at 800-469-4599, and visit www.alabamapublichealth.gov/immunization.

Cullman Regional offered the following recommendations about influenza:

Symptoms

Influenza (also known as the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The flu is different from a cold. The flu usually comes on suddenly. People who have the flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:

• Fever or feeling feverish/chills

• Cough

• Sore throat

• Runny or stuffy nose

• Muscle or body aches

• Headaches

• Fatigue (tiredness)

• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

* It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.

People at High Risk from Flu

Anyone can get the flu (even healthy people), and serious problems related to the flu can happen at any age, but some people are at high risk of developing serious flu-related complications if they get sick. This includes people 65 years and older, people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), pregnant women, and young children.

What are the emergency warning signs of flu sickness?

In children:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing

• Bluish skin color

• Not drinking enough fluids

• Not waking up or not interacting

• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held

• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

• Fever with a rash

In adults:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen

• Sudden dizziness

• Confusion

• Severe or persistent vomiting

• Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough

In addition to the signs above, get medical help right away for any infant who has any of these signs:

• Being unable to eat

• Has trouble breathing

• Has no tears when crying

• Significantly fewer wet diapers than normal

What should I do if I get sick?

Most people with the flu have mild illness and do not need medical care or antiviral drugs. If you get sick with flu symptoms, in most cases, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people except to get medical care.

If, however, you have symptoms of flu and are in a high risk group, or are very sick or worried about your illness, contact your health care provider (doctor, physician assistant, etc.). See information on those that are high risk.

Do I need to go the emergency room if I am only a little sick?

No. The emergency room should be used for people who are very sick. You should not go to the emergency room if you are only mildly ill. Instead, go to your primary care doctor.

If you have the emergency warning signs of flu sickness, you should go to the emergency room. If you get sick with flu symptoms and are at high risk of flu complications or you are concerned about your illness, call your health care provider for advice. If you go to the emergency room and you are not sick with the flu, you may catch it from people who do have it.

Are there medicines to treat the flu?

Yes. There are drugs your doctor may prescribe for treating the flu called “antivirals.” These drugs can make you better faster and may also prevent serious complications.

How long should I or my kids stay home if sick?

CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or other necessities. Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine, such as Tylenol®. You should stay home from work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings. Keep children home from daycare and/or school if they have symptoms of the flu.

What should I do while I’m sick?

Stay away from others as much as possible to keep from infecting them. If you must leave home, for example to get medical care, wear a facemask if you have one, or cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Wash your hands often to keep from spreading flu to others.

Can I visit my family members in the hospital if I have the flu?

Visiting patients in the hospital may contribute to additional adverse reactions because hospitalized patients have already weakened immune systems so visiting anyone in the hospital is strongly discouraged if you have flu-like symptoms.

Prevention Tips

• Take time to get a flu vaccine.

• CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses. While there are many different flu viruses, a flu vaccine protects against the viruses that research suggests will be most common.

• Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and missed work and school due to flu, as well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations.

• Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every year before flu activity begins in their community. CDC recommends getting vaccinated by the end of October, if possible.

• CDC recommends use of injectable influenza vaccines (including inactivated influenza vaccines and recombinant influenza vaccines) during 2017-2018. The nasal spray flu vaccine (live attenuated influenza vaccine or LAIV) should not be used during 2017-2018.

• Vaccination of high risk persons is especially important to decrease their risk of severe flu illness.

• People at high risk of serious flu complications include young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease and people 65 years and older.

• Vaccination also is important for health care workers, and other people who live with or care for high risk people to keep from spreading flu to them.

• Children younger than 6 months are at high risk of serious flu illness, but are too young to be vaccinated. People who care for infants should be vaccinated instead.

• It’s not too late to get the flu vaccine. Flu season typically runs through March each year and takes approximately 2 weeks to get into your system, so it’s not too late.

• Take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs.

• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

• While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.

• If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.

• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.

• Take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them.

• If you get the flu, antiviral drugs can be used to treat your illness.

• Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics. They are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaled powder) and are not available over-the-counter.

• Antiviral drugs can make illness milder and shorten the time you are sick. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For people with high-risk factors, treatment with an antiviral drug can mean the difference between having a milder illness versus a very serious illness that could result in a hospital stay.

• Studies show that flu antiviral drugs work best for treatment when they are started within 2 days of getting sick, but starting them later can still be helpful, especially if the sick person has a high-risk health condition or is very sick from the flu. Follow your doctor’s instructions for taking this drug.

• Flu-like symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people also may have vomiting and diarrhea. People may be infected with the flu, and have respiratory symptoms without a fever.

Influenza (also known as the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The flu is different from a cold. The flu usually comes on suddenly. People who have the flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:

• Fever or feeling feverish/chills

• Cough

• Sore throat

• Runny or stuffy nose

• Muscle or body aches

• Headaches

• Fatigue (tiredness)

• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

* It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.