Flu continues to be a major health concern this winter, a Northside primary care physician said this week.
And we’re still not to the peak of the season in Georgia.
“Recent reporting is indicating very high activity levels in Georgia this year compared to last year’s season,” Dr. Parissa Rabbinafard of Peachtree Dunwoody Medical Associates said.
“Certain subtypes of the flu may spread more rapidly and could be a major driver of the surge in cases.”
What’s happening: Dr. Rabbinafard said influenza A (H3N2) viruses are the main drivers of the increase in flu cases this year. While influenza B is also circulating, it is doing so at lower levels and influenza A spreads faster and with stronger symptoms than influenza B.
- “We see cases of the flu annually, but it seems there have been more cases in the last two to three weeks, especially given the recent holiday season,” Dr. Rabbinafard said. “Flu activity typically peaks in January to February, so numbers may still be rising.”
Flu shots: Although the start of flu season — early fall — is the optimal time to get a flu shot, it’s not too late. “Vaccination is recommended as long as flu viruses are still circulating,” Dr. Rabbinafard said. “Getting a flu shot now can still help protect against influenza and reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization or complications.”
- Dr. Mubeen Mandani of the Northside Hospital Diagnostic Clinic said the shot can reduce the risk of serious effects from the flu and has an effective rate of 40% to 60%.
“Even if this doesn’t seem like a high number, getting the flu shot has shown to greatly reduce its spread as well as greatly reduce one’s chances of flu-related hospitalizations and death,” Dr. Mandani said.
- It usually takes your body about two weeks from the time you get your shot to build protective antibodies.
- If you’ve already had the flu or just been exposed, vaccination can protect you against other strains that might circulate later in the flu season.
- Shots are recommended for everyone 6 months old and older. About 130 million doses have been distributed in the U.S. this year.
The numbers: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday, Jan. 5, that 32.9% of tests were positive for influenza A in the previous week. That number was rising over the past seven days. Georgia has shown nearly 30 flu-related deaths since the first week of October.
- The CDC estimates at least 11 million illnesses, 120,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths from flu this season.
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