Influenza (commonly known as “flu”) is a contagious viral respiratory illness that is commonly caught in the autumn and winter months (“flu season”). While annual flu vaccines are widely available during this season to fend off serious illness and deaths from the disease, influenza has a tendency to mutate often (which is why a new flu vaccine must be developed and distributed every year to protect against the predicted dominant strains of the season). It’s a new and aggressive mutation that is causing this season’s “superflu” outbreak in several countries, the U.S. included.
This flu variant is not only causing more severe symptoms and many more hospitalizations than normal, but it is also highly contagious, causing the highest flu infection rates New York State has seen in 25 years. New York State health officials have also reported high levels of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), COVID-19, and norovirus in local wastewater data, suggesting a “quademic” of respiratory illnesses spiking this season.
Use an at-home flu test if you suspect you may be sick. Symptoms of the flu include:
- Fever and chills
- Muscle/body aches
- Severe fatigue
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Coughing and/or shortness of breath
- Nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea
This season’s outbreak is marked by notably high fevers which may not respond normally to fever reducers, as well as more vomiting/diarrhea in adult cases (this symptom is more typically seen in children with the flu). Go to the hospital right away if you or someone in your care is experiencing a high fever that won’t break; severe pain, vomiting, or trouble breathing; seizures; dizziness or confusion; dehydration/inability to urinate; or lack of alertness/awareness.
To protect yourself and others from the spread of illness, you can take the following precautions:
- Wear a face mask indoors and in crowds when you go out
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds regularly
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, especially with unwashed hands
- Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces
- Cover your coughs and sneezes
- If you are experiencing symptoms, do not go to work or social functions until you are no longer contagious
- If you have contracted the flu, prescription flu antivirals are most effective within 48 hours of getting sick, but can also be taken outside that time frame. Resting at home, drinking plenty of fluids, and taking fever-reducing medication can also help your recovery.
- Most healthy people recover from the flu in 3-7 days, though it may take up to 2 weeks for symptoms to fully go away
Young children, pregnant women, people with certain chronic medical conditions, and those aged 65 and older are most at risk of developing serious complications from the flu.
If you have not received this season’s flu vaccine, it is not too late to get it. Check the NYC Health Map here, or contact your health care provider, for more information on where to receive one. The New York State Department of Health recommends that all New Yorkers aged 6 months and older receive an annual flu vaccine.
As of now, New York State has rejected the federal government’s recommendation to reduce vaccines for children, citing no change in safety data indicating that less vaccines than currently recommended by medical professionals would benefit public health, and the current state vaccination requirements for children in school and day care will remain in place. Medical professionals and other health officials strongly recommend that all children aged 6 months and older receive the flu vaccine, especially in the wake of last season’s alarming spike in pediatric flu deaths in which the vast majority of victims were unvaccinated.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us anytime at info@gravityintprog.com. Stay safe and healthy!
