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The flu season is fast approaching.
Time
Tips to prevent the spread of flu.(Photo: HEALTH DEPARTMENT OF FLORIDA IN THE COUNTY OF MARTIN)
As the flu season begins to spread, officials from the State Department of Health urge people to get vaccinated.
The flu season starts in October and lasts until May, with peaks in December and January, said Renay Rouse, spokesman for Florida's Department of Health in Martin County.
"When we look at the younger population and the older population, they are very vulnerable (to the flu)," said Rouse. "These are the ones you really want to encourage to be vaccinated against the flu."
The flu or flu is a respiratory infection caused by various influenza viruses. According to officials of the State Department of Health, "flu" is a common generic term used for various diseases, but it only applies correctly to upper respiratory diseases caused by the flu virus.
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Health workers recommend that people get vaccinated before Halloween.
"We want everyone to be vaccinated every year because influenza strains are changing every year," said Stacy Brock, spokesperson for the Florida Department of Health in Indian River County. .
Influenza activity is currently low at the state and national levels, state officials said.
From October 2017 to August 2018, the Florida Department of Health reported seeing three to four influenza or flu-like epidemics in Martin County and about five in each of St. Lucia and Indian counties. River. from the Health website.
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The ministry considers an outbreak to be "two or more cases of influenza or flu-like illness in a specific context".
The number of influenza cases can be difficult to track because every county health department needs to look at the number of people who enter hospitals and medical practices and are diagnosed with the flu, she added.
Many people do not consult a health professional when they are sick, so they are not diagnosed, said Brock.
"Some people do it (the flu) at home," said Rouse. "When people should start to worry, it's if they have trouble breathing."
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Michelle Peaslee, an epidemiologist with the Florida Department of Health in St. Lucia County, said people often had to wash their hands with soap and water, keep their hands away from their faces, and stay at home. the House.
Rouse said the best way to keep the number of people affected by the flu is to vaccinate more people.
"The more people are immunized, the more we can keep the flu out of the community, because when you have higher immunization rates, you're less likely to get the flu into the community," he said. she declared.
Flu vs cold
- The flu and colds are two respiratory diseases, but they are caused by different viruses.
- The flu is worse than the cold and the symptoms are more frequent and intense.
- Because colds and flu share many symptoms, it can be difficult to differentiate between them based solely on symptoms. Special tests that usually need to be done in the early days of the illness may indicate if a person has the flu.
- Symptoms of the flu may include fever or a feeling of fever or chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or muscle pain, headache, and fatigue. The symptoms of colds are usually lighter than those of the flu. People who have a cold are more likely to have a runny nose or a stuffy nose. Colds do not usually cause serious health problems.
Source: Centers for Disease Control
Prevent the flu
- Get a flu shot
- Wash your hands regularly
- Avoid contact with those who are sick
- Avoid touching the eyes, mouth
- Stay at home if you have flu-like symptoms
- Talk to a doctor about antiviral drugs
Source: Florida Department of Health
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