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This year’s flu season is hitting the United States earlier and harder than in years past with many emergency departments and hospitals across the country reporting high numbers of cases.

Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare’s (TMH) emergency and urgent care centers are seeing rising numbers of people with flu symptoms. While our team is ready 24/7 to provide emergency care for patients with illnesses and injuries of all kinds, we need your help to protect those resources and provide the right level of care in the right settings.

With your help, our community can also prevent the spread of flu.

The flu is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat and lungs. While flu seasons vary each year, flu activity typically increases in October before peaking in December and February.

Here is a breakdown of what you need to know about the flu, how you can protect yourself and your family and what to do if you are experiencing symptoms:

1: Get Vaccinated

Get your flu shot right away. This is the number-one thing you can do to avoid getting the flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends annual flu vaccinations for everyone over 6 months old, with some rare exceptions.

The flu shot takes 2 weeks to become fully effective, but getting the flu shot at any point during flu season provides protection. The CDC has a comprehensive guide outlining each of the available vaccines and who is eligible to receive each.

Flu vaccines are safe and effective and even more important this year. For the past two years, the same infection prevention measures that protected us from COVID-19 guarded us from contracting the influenza virus. Thanks to face masks, frequent hand hygiene and less time spent in public, we saw some of the lowest peaks in influenza cases in decades. But now, with more people back to living their pre-COVID lives, the flu is spreading more easily and rapidly.

Get a flu shot through your primary care provider, the Florida Department of Health in Leon County or a retail pharmacy. Use the Florida Department of Health’s Locate a Flu Shot tool if you need help finding a vaccine location in your county.

2: Wash Your Hands

Handwashing is one of the best ways to keep you and your family healthy. Scrub hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Keep alcohol-based sanitizer close by. Be mindful of what you touch, including high traffic areas like door handles, phones and elevator buttons.

Wash your hands often, but especially during these key times, as recommended by the CDC:

  • Before, during and after preparing food
  • Before and after eating food
  • Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea
  • Before and after treating a cut or wound
  • After using the toilet
  • After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
  • After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
  • After touching an animal, animal feed or animal waste
  • After handling pet food or pet treats
  • After touching garbage

Download Our Flu Resources

3: Hands Off

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. These are access points for viruses to enter your body.

4: Disinfect Surfaces

Kill flu germs by disinfecting surfaces, especially when someone is sick. Studies have shown that viruses can live for four hours up to 24 hours on surfaces depending on the type of surface. The CDC recommends cleaning first and then sanitizing or disinfecting:

  • Clean high-touch surfaces (for example, light switches, doorknobs and countertops) regularly and after you have visitors in your home.
  • Clean other surfaces in your home when they are visibly dirty or as needed. Clean them more often if people in your household are more likely to get sick, such as young children and people with weakened immune systems. You may also choose to disinfect.
  • Clean surfaces using a product suitable for each surface, following instructions on the product label.

5: Practice Healthy Habits

Stay active, get plenty of sleep, manage stress, drink plenty of water and eat nutritious foods with immune-boosting nutrients such as beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, probiotics and protein. Healthy bodies are better able to fight flu.

6: Cover Your Nose and Mouth

Cover your nose and/or mouth with your sleeve or a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Practice hand hygiene after coughing or sneezing.

7: It’s Sometimes Nice to NOT Share

Don’t share food, drinks, utensils and personal items. Try not to use a co-worker’s phone, desk, keyboard or other work tools. Frequently clean any items or work tools that must be shared.

8: Space is Good

Avoid close contact with those who are already sick. Avoid shaking hands and giving hugs during flu season. If you are sick, stay home to protect others. The CDC advises staying home at least 24 hours after your fever is gone without the use of fever-reducing medicines.

How to Treat the Flu

Flu symptoms can range from mild to severe and usually come on suddenly. Mild to moderate symptoms can be treated at home. The following will help you treat flu at home:

  • Stay home and avoid contact with others. Isolate yourself from others in your home and wash your hands frequently to prevent spreading the infection.
  • Rest.
  • Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of fluids is key to thinning mucus and feeling better faster. Being dehydrated can lead to headaches and body aches.
  • Use a humidifier to loosen mucus and help you breathe easier. Be sure to change the water frequently to prevent mold growth in the container.
  • You can treat fever and cough with over-the-counter medicines such as anti-inflammatories (Ibuprofen, Tylenol), decongestants, throat lozenges and cough suppressants.
  • If you have an underlying chronic disease, are over the age of 65 or if you are experiencing worsening symptoms, check in with your primary care provider to see if you need an antiviral drug. He or she can determine whether to prescribe antiviral therapy, which has the greatest benefit when taken within 24 to 30 hours of symptom onset. Taking antiviral drugs early can help prevent serious flu complications.

Most people who get flu will recover in a few days to less than two weeks. Anyone, even healthy people, can get the flu, but some people, including adults age 65 and older, people with certain chronic conditions and pregnant women, are at higher risk of flu complications. For these popluations, getting a flu vaccine is even more important.

Some people will develop complications (such as pneumonia) because of flu, some of which can be life-threatening. Sinus and ear infections are examples of moderate complications from flu.

Where and When to Seek Treatment

Mild to moderate flu symptoms can be treated at home, or an urgent care center if your symptoms are getting worse.

People with mild symptoms should avoid the emergency department to safeguard emergency resources for those who are sickest. However, people experiencing these warning signs should seek emergency medical care right away:

In Children

  • Fast breathing or trouble breathing
  • Bluish lips or face
  • Ribs pulling in with each breath
  • Chest pain
  • Severe muscle pain (child refuses to walk)
  • Dehydration (no urine for 8 hours, dry mouth, no tears when crying)
  • Not alert or interacting when awake
  • Seizures
  • Fever above 104°F
  • In children younger than 12 weeks, any fever
  • Fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen
  • Worsening of chronic medical conditions

In Adults

  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
  • Persistent dizziness, confusion, inability to arouse
  • Seizures
  • Not urinating
  • Severe muscle pain
  • Severe weakness or unsteadiness
  • Fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen
  • Worsening of chronic medical conditions

TMH is ready 24/7 to provide emergency care for patients with illnesses and injuries of all kinds, but we need your help. Get your flu vaccine, take measures to prevent the flu and seek care in the appropriate setting to help our community during flu season.

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245712
External ID
305
Integration Source
COD10
Integration Source URL
https://www.tmh.org/healthy-living/blogs/healthy-living/flu-cases-are-on-the-rise-protect-yourself-and-our-community

Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare

Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare is a private, not-for-profit community healthcare system committed to transforming care, advancing health, and improving lives with an ultimate vision of leading the community to be the healthiest in the nation.