BARTOW – Public health officials are warning everyone to take precautions to protect themselves and others against the flu as the number of cases is continuing to rise sharply week by week.
“We are seeing influenza among all age groups. We are most concerned about those at risk of developing complications, young children, adults 65 and older, pregnant women and individuals with chronic health conditions,” said Dr. Joy Jackson, director of the Florida Department of Health in Polk.
So far, state epidemiologists have recorded the deaths of five children and 371 adults from the flu and pneumonia. However, that number is expected to rise significantly because vital statistics reporting lags behind actual events, according to the Florida Health Department’s website.
Jackson said it is unclear how many flu/pneumonia deaths there have been so far this season in Polk County.
However, she said, flu levels are the highest they have been since 2009, and the number of people who get sick this season may easily surpass that particularly bad season.
“It is still not too late to get the flu shot and the vaccine is available across Polk County,” Jackson said.
The vaccine cannot cause the flu because it is made of killed viruses of flu strains that world health officials predict will be most likely to circulate during a season.
Getting the vaccine does not guarantee a person will not come down with the flu, but it is the best protection available – that along with frequent handwashing and staying away from people who are sick.
“Anybody who has the flu can take the antiviral Tamiflu, but it is highly recommended for people most at risk for complications,” she said. Tamiflu can help reduce the length and severity of the symptoms but requires a prescription, she said.
“We did a survey of local pharmacies and found that both the vaccine and Tamiflu are available across Polk County,” Jackson said. “Some pharmacies were temporarily out of stock of Tamiflu so folks may want to call ahead and make sure it is available at their pharmacy.”
People with symptoms don’t want to waste time starting their prescription because Tamiflu should be started within 48 hours of symptoms appearing. As soon as symptoms appear, folks need to contact their doctor or get to an urgent care center, she said.
Symptoms include sudden onset (hours) of fever and chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body ache, headache, fatigue and vomiting.
People who get sick need to protect others by staying home and not going out in public until they have been fever-free without symptom-relieving medications for at least 24 hours, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Another simple precaution sick people can take to prevent spreading the germs is to direct their sneezes and coughs onto their sleeves, not their hands, Jackson said.
Marilyn Meyer can be reached at marilyn.meyer@theledger.com or 863-802-7558.