TAMPA, Fla. — The CDC has classified this flu season as a high severity season for all age groups for the first time since 2017-2018.
“We’re seeing a flu season that’s pretty rough,” said Dr. Jill Roberts with the USF College of Public Health.
While doctors think we’ve finally reached the peak, they’re still hospitalizing people for severe symptoms.
“We’re still seeing lots of flu in the emergency department,” said Dr. Jose Barquin, Emergency Room Medical Director for AdventHealth North Pinellas.
“Every single time. Every single season. Florida just gets absolutely slammed with flu,” said Roberts.
Both Influenza A and Influenza B strains are circulating right now.
“It’s in the moderate for flus which means it’s not an easy strain, it’s not the worst. It’s not a pandemic strain but it’s no joke,” said Roberts.
The CDC estimates there have been at least 33 million flu cases, 430,000 hospitalizations, and 19,000 deaths including 86 pediatric deaths, caused by the flu so far this season.
“We are sadly seeing pediatric deaths which almost never occurs if kids are vaccinated,” said Roberts.
Health officials believe there are many reasons so many people have gotten so sick this time around.
“We were all wearing our masks for COVID and the flu disappeared. And when I mean disappeared, I mean a strain of flu disappeared off the planet. It has not been detected since we blocked it with those COVID masks,” said Roberts.
Since we’re not wearing masks anymore, the flu has been able to circulate again.
Another thing adding to this flu season is vaccine hesitancy.
“A lot of people were very vaccine hesitant and didn’t take the vaccine, which is a shame because it’s a perfect match. The two strains that are circulating are exactly the strains that are in the flu shot,” said Roberts.
If you do get the flu, you’re encouraged to call your doctor. If you’re at higher risk of severe illness, there are prescription antiviral drugs that can help treat symptoms.
“Overall for my healthy patients, which is a vast majority of patients I see in the emergency department, for flu symptoms, I usually recommend treatment with anti-inflammation medication, like Ibuprofen or Tylenol, which really helps them eat, drink, function better. Keeps that fever down, those aches and chills at bay,” said Barquin.
“If you’re feeling sick, stay home, rest, avoid spreading the flu. If you start to see confusion in some of your family members with the flu or high persistent fevers, unable to keep down any food or fluids, that’s when you want to visit us at the emergency department,” he added.
Barquin said it’s not too late to get the flu shot. Flu season ends in May.
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