3/26/2018
Though there’s always a threat of another peak in the 2017-18 flu season, medical experts say, for the most past, the worst of the flu season is over.
“It was a very busy flu season, no doubt about that. We’re hoping to move on with the worst of it behind us,” said Brandon Greiner, a physician assistant with MedExpress.
“We’ve definitely seen a decrease across our platforms,” he added.
Greiner said nationwide, there’s a 21 percent decrease in influenza-like symptoms, and a 25 percent decrease across Pennsylvania.
“We’ve seen it tail off in the last few weeks,” he said.
Overall, Greiner said it was a difficult flu season, with physicians seeing someone with a fever, chills and body aches just about every day.
It didn’t target one specific demographic or age range. Though they’re always worried about the elderly and younger children in terms of severe complications, this year’s flu season seemed to hit everyone, he said.
And when someone did come down with the flu, they could be down for more than a week.
“It can take about a week to fully recover from the flu. Everyone is different, but typically took a whole week to recover,” he said.
During this flu season, the H3N2 strain hit early on. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said they started to see cases trickle in during the month of November of last year, followed by a sharp increase in December 2017 through February 2018.
Annie Jamieson, a spokesperson for MedExpress, noted that there was a 29 percent increase in the number of MedExpress flu shots administered during the 2017-18 flu season in comparison to the 2016-17 flu season.
“Also, in keeping with the trend that we hope the peak of flu season is behind us, (since the beginning of March), flu shot visits have leveled out to the normal level we typically see during this time of year,” she said.
“This year we definitely had a busier and more severe season,” Greiner said.
“Influenza illness this season has been substantial, with some of the highest levels if influenza-like illnesses and hospitalization rates in recent years and elevated activity occurring in most of the country simultaneously,” according to the CDC.
“The percentage of outpatient visits to doctors’ offices, urgent care centers and emergency departments that were for influenza-like illnesses rose sharply in late 2017 to 7.7 percent in early February,” the CDC continued. “This is the highest level of influenza-like illness activity since the pandemic in 2009 which peaked at 7.7 percent.”
The CDC also noted that in previous flu seasons, weekly percentages for outpatient visits for influenza-like illnesses ranged from 3.6 to 6.1 percent, and remained above baseline levels for an average of 16 weeks. This season, though, has been above the national baseline for 11 weeks, which suggests that flu activity could continue.
“There’s still a chance for a peak in the flu in coming weeks,” Greiner said. “If you get signs and symptoms, come back and see us.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Health also indicated that flu activity decreased across the state last week, in what they’re documenting as week 11.
“Laboratory, hospital emergency department and sentinel medical provider data all indicate that the flu activity decreased from past weeks and peaked at week 6 that ended on Feb. 10,” according to the DOH.
Overall, Greiner said it’s hard to predict how severe a flu season will be. But as the season approaches every year, he says they’re prepared for whatever comes their way.
“We’re ready for the flu every year when it comes, starting in October to as late as May,” he said. “We’ll continue to encourage people to get flu shots, wash their hands, and don’t share drinks. We will educate patients and the population during the flu season.”
“Nothing really will change how we operate — we just keep people as healthy as we can,” he said.
Courtesy of the Herald-Standard. Original article can be viewed here.