TROY, Ala. (TROJANVISION) — A new strain of influenza is sparking concern from doctors, parents, and patients.
According to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH), 9.5% of ER visits during the week of Christmas were due to the flu. That was the highest since the week ending Nov. 5 of 2022, when the rate was 11.7%.
“What happened was the variant emerged in August, and that was after the CDC released their updated flu vaccine, so therefore there was a lot of concern over whether the flu vaccine would even be protective against this new variant,” said Dr. Michael Williams, a family practitioner at Troy Regional Medical Center‘s Primary Care.
Symptoms include headaches, body aches, and fever. Thankfully, there are ways to treat the flu if you catch it early.
“We do have antivirals for the flu, but you have to catch it within the 48 hours,” Williams said. “If you think you have the flu, go in, get screened, get tested. If you have it, we have good antiviral treatments.”
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Williams urges patients to take simple measures to prevent contracting the disease in the first place.
“Keep yourself healthy, plenty of rest, drink plenty of fluids, eat right and exercise. All of that stuff helps,” Williams said.
Some students are trying their best to follow doctors’ advice and stay healthy this flu season.
“Wash my hands and do stuff like that,” said Lilli Turner, a freshman. “Another way I stay healthy is by going for walks on campus with my friends. I have really been utilizing the recreational center.”
If you are experiencing symptoms of the flu, it is important to contact your primary care provider and receive care. Early treatment can prevent the disease from developing into something worse.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) list the following healthy habits to prevent the flu:
- Avoid close contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick, too. Putting physical distance between yourself and others can help lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.
- Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you’re sick. You can go back to your normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:
- Your symptoms are getting better overall, and
- You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication1). After these two criteria are met, there are some additional precautions that can be taken to protect others from respiratory illness.
- Cover your mouth and nose. Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Influenza viruses are thought to spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. Wearing a mask is an additional prevention strategy that you can choose to do to further protect yourself and others. When worn by a person with an infection, masks reduce the spread of the virus to others. Masks can also protect wearers from breathing in infectious particles from people around them.
- Clean your hands.
Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.- Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives Tips on hand washing and using alcohol-based hand sanitizers
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. - Take steps for cleaner air.
You can improve air quality by bringing in fresh outside air, purifying indoor air or gathering outdoors. Cleaner air can reduce the risk of exposure to viruses. - Practice good hygiene and other healthy habits.
Cleaning frequently touched surfaces, such as countertops, handrails, and doorknobs regularly can help prevent the spread of some illnesses. Also, get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.
