Flu season expected to ramp up in coming weeks

HIAWASSEE, NC  – Flu season is upon us, and reported cases of influenza are expected to rise despite repeated warnings from physicians to acquire vaccinations to guard against the dreaded illness.

Clay County, located adjacent to Towns County in North Carolina, recently reported one confirmed case of Type A influenza, the strain which has been most prevalent since mid-summer, according to the Center for Disease Control.

Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) states that the confirmed cases of influenza are currently considered moderate, listed at 3.4% outpatient reports occuring last week, which is above the baseline of 2.2% . Peak flu season is predicted to occur between the months of December and Feburary, although the virus could linger until spring.

A total of 2,823 Georgia residents have visited physicians due to flu-like symptoms this year, with 16 patients hospitialized.

“Every individual over the age of six months should get a flu vaccine, not just for their own protection, but to protect others around them who may be more vunerable to the flu and its complications,” Georgia DPH Interim Commissioner J. Patrick O’Neal advised earlier this year.

Approximately 36,000 Americans die each year from complications associated with the illness. Last year, 151 cases proved fatal in Georgia alone. The young, the elderly, and those with weakened immune symptoms are most vunerable to complications. According to the CDC, it make take up to two weeks for vaccinations to become effective.
The flu is easily transfered between individuals through oral and nasal secretions, with germs capable of surviving on surfaces for extended periods of time. Hand-washing is vital in thwarting the spread of the illness.

Influenza symptoms may include a fever higher than 100 degrees, head and body aches, fatigue, chills, respiratory distress, cough and a sore throat. Prescriptions such as Tamiflu, a medication geared toward reducing severity, should be administered within 48 hours after the onset of symptoms although later administration may weaken extreme symptoms.

Towns County Health Department accepts appointments for influenza vaccinations at 706-896-2265.

Likewise, area pharmacies are equipped to administer the highly recommended vaccine.