In the state of Georgia alone, 12 people have died from influenza season. According to Georgia Health News reporter Andy Miller, there were 40 hospitalizations in metro Atlanta due to influenza infection during the week of January 7 through January 13. Facilities have seen 404 hospitalizations due to flu so far, and with 10 weeks left to go in this sickly season, people should be taking all the precautions they can to avoid this deadly illness.
A Deadly Time
The influenza epidemic hitting the U.S. harder than it’s seen in over a decade has been particularly rough in the southern states, especially Georgia. In Alabama, they’ve declared a statewide state of emergency with hospitals running out of beds for people coming in with flu-like symptoms. Health officials think the severity of this year’s flu season can be attributed to the fact that it’s hitting the entire United States at the same time.
With reported cases of the flu on the rise, there have been shortages of the anti-viral drugs that doctors prescribe within the first 48 hours of flu symptoms to make the bug shorter and milder. The increase in snow days for the southern region of the states can be to blame for more illnesses as well, with another potential flu spike likely at any moment.
“We’re seeing about a 50 percent increase every week that goes on,” said Dr. James Yost with Peachtree Immediate Care in Cumming. He explained that when winter storms confine most of the public to their homes or shelters, “people crowd together and more spreading (of flu) goes on.”
Sadly, 21 children have died form the flu so far this season. Dan Jernigan, director of the CDC’s influenza division says it’s likely that the actual number of kids who’ve been killed across the country could be double what’s been reported. Part of the problem this season has been the prevalence of a deadly strain of influenza ‘A’— H3N2. An article by Business Insider reports that nearly 8 of every 10 lab-confirmed flu cases have been that specific aggressive strain.
Dr. Ben Spitalnick, a Savannah pediatrician, said his office is seeing a wave of children whose parents wish they got their kids vaccinated or wished the vaccine worked better. Unfortunately, this case of influenza isn’t well protected by most flu vaccines because it evolves rapidly in the body and is harder to grow in eggs, which is how most flu shots get made. Flu vaccines have generally been between 40 and 60 percent effective in years past, but this year has been much worse. “We are seeing much higher volumes, of much sicker kids, than we usually see,” Spitalnick said. According to Spitalnick, the scary part is when the flu turns to a secondary infection such as pneumonia: “They don’t get better in the next few days; the fever gets higher, the cough gets worse, the appetite goes down and the breathing gets labored.”
Protect Yourself
Five of the flu related Georgia deaths have been in elderly people, who are the most at risk, along with small children. Regardless of the success rates, people ages 6 months and older should still get immunized as a precaution if they haven’t already. Some will be protected by the flu all together, and others may experience symptoms yet be protected from additional sickness.
Nancy Nydam, a Georgia Department of Health spokeswoman, recognized the hardships with this year’s strain but said that didn’t change the need to get vaccinated. The flu vaccine is always the best protection against the flu,” Nydam said. “Even if you do get sick, the vaccine can help reduce the severity and duration of your illness.”
The Atlanta Journal- Constitution provides advice for the remaining flu season:
Get vaccinated.
Cover your mouth when you cough.
Wash your hands frequently.
Limit contact with others who might have the flu. This is why the flu spreads in winter— people are inside together.
Additionally, don’t mistake flu symptoms for signs of the common cold. Major signs of the flu are fever that comes along with cough and congestion. If you feel like you’re having trouble breathing or that your fever can’t be controlled with medication like Tylenol, check with your doctor. Dr. Spitalnick warns against people trying to get back to school or work early if they’ve been infected because they could still be contagious. Shots may still be available from your doctor or local health clinic, as well as at some chain drugstores. Check the
Vaccine Finder website for a location near you.