Influenza is in all places proper now.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, greater than half of the nation is reporting excessive or very excessive flu exercise. Flu instances are additionally expected to continue climbing, that means much more individuals will contract the virus.
“Numbers of emergency division visits, outpatient visits, hospitalizations are all on the rise, and it seems to be like that is principally pushed by numbers in youngsters,” Dr. Robert Hopkins, the medical director of the Nationwide Basis for Infectious Ailments, mentioned. Youthful adults with the flu are subsequent, however Hopkins mentioned he suspects instances amongst older adults will quickly make up a bigger share of the information.
The flu can infect anybody and trigger severe problems in wholesome individuals and people at excessive threat. Whereas hand-washing, mask-wearing and vaccination may help to restrict contraction of the flu, it’s a tough virus to keep away from.
Listed here are the primary signs to search for this winter and what to do in case you get sick:
Fever and headache are among the many first indicators of flu.
“For most individuals, all ages, the basic signs are going to be a fairly abrupt onset of fever, complications, physique aches are actually widespread,” mentioned Dr. Madison Szar, a pediatrician with Bluebird Kids Health.
Chills are widespread. Respiratory signs, similar to cough, runny nostril and sore throat might also current early.
Nausea and vomiting may be widespread in children.
The flu reveals up just a little in another way in youngsters.
“Typically in children, particularly our youthful children, we are able to usually see extra gastrointestinal complaints,” Szar mentioned.
This consists of abdomen ache, nausea, vomiting or just not eager to eat.
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Flu tends to come back on quicker than a chilly.
Whenever you’re coming down with a chilly, it’s widespread to have a scratchy throat for a couple of days earlier than the total illness hits. This isn’t the case with the flu.
“Flu tends to hit very exhausting and really quick,” Hopkins mentioned. “Folks will usually be capable of inform you inside the minute or the hour when their signs began.”
Not solely do flu signs come on extra swiftly, however they’re usually extra extreme than chilly signs, in line with Szar.
Whereas many flu signs overlap with the indicators of different respiratory viruses, you’ll be able to’t inform which virus you’ve got until you are taking a flu or COVID check. However “usually, if it hits, you are feeling awful swiftly, you’ll be able to nearly name it to the minute, then that, I can say, is fairly predictably influenza,” Hopkins mentioned.
Whenever you discover flu signs, let your physician know.
It’s vital to contact your physician whenever you discover early flu signs.
“There are some anti-virals that we may give, however usually will work the most effective inside the first 48 hours of symptom onset,” Szar defined. That is particularly vital for high-risk sufferers like these with bronchial asthma or COPD, Szar added.
Sure signs additionally require medical consideration.
“You probably have preliminary fever, after which fever will get higher and it’s managed with out drugs, and your fever comes again, that’s a warning signal, from my perspective, that you actually need to be sure to see a well being care skilled at that time, as a result of flu can even set you up for secondary bacterial infections like pneumonia,” mentioned Hopkins.
The flu can even trigger dehydration. Should you’re feeling lightheaded, dizzy or not urinating often, you need to discuss to your physician, he mentioned.
Should you’re sick, keep dwelling and maintain your self.
If you’re one of many tens of millions of people that get the flu this winter, keep dwelling.
“You don’t wish to share what you’ve got with others in your loved ones or in your neighborhood,” Hopkins mentioned. “The flu is extreme for many individuals. Even in case you combat it off simply nice, your neighbor or colleague might not.”
Prioritize hydration by consuming water, natural tea, Gatorade, Pedialyte or one thing comparable.
“Being sick will dehydrate your physique fairly rapidly and make it tougher, not solely to combat the an infection, but it surely causes you simply to not really feel good whenever you’re dehydrated,” Szar mentioned.
Fever reducers and ache relievers might also assist, each docs mentioned. Decongestants and cough treatment can assist adults, however for youngsters over the age of 1, Szar tends to advocate giving honey to ease a cough.
“I’d be remiss to not point out, in case you haven’t already, the flu vaccine is among the greatest methods to cut back the severity of sickness, even in case you do get the flu,” Szar mentioned.
The flu vaccine reduces the chance of hospitalization or extreme illness, and likewise decreases the size of time that you simply’re sick. Whereas the autumn is the most effective time to get the vaccine, it’s not too late within the season to acquire it.
“Getting vaccinated can scale back your chance of getting a second flu by means of the course of the flu season,” Hopkins mentioned.
“Regardless of feedback which have been made by, shall we embrace, individuals in positions of energy, the flu vaccine stays a very powerful energetic measure we are able to make to cut back the influence of flu on everybody, 6 months of age and older,” he added.
Flu deaths in youngsters throughout the 2024-2025 season hit a record high, and several other states ― similar to Massachusetts and Illinois ― are already reporting pediatric flu deaths for this season, in addition to deaths in older adults.
Hopkins additionally inspired individuals to get the flu shot sooner moderately than later as a result of it takes about two weeks to develop a protecting immune response.
“Should you’ve acquired a member of the family or a buddy or a colleague that’s not been vaccinated, encourage them strongly to get vaccinated as quickly as doable. Let’s reduce the influence of what’s already wanting like a nasty flu season,” Hopkins mentioned.
