Seasonal Influenza Update

  • Published
  • 97th Medical Group
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  With flu season in full swing, there are several steps that can be taken to protect you and your family. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), influenza activity is at its peak during the months of January and February. Currently, there is widespread flu activity throughout most of the United States, including Oklahoma. The 97th Medical Group has seen an increase in individuals with flu-like symptoms in the past two weeks.

A virus that affects the nose, throat, bronchial airways, and lungs causes the flu. The flu is spread by droplets released by an infected person when sneezing, coughing or talking. These droplets can thrive on surfaces and can infect you when you touch the contaminated object and your face. Flu symptoms can be mild to serious, with a small amount causing fatality. Symptoms you need to be aware of are a fever of 100°F to 103°F, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches and exhaustion.

"The CDC recommends a three-pronged approach to fighting flu: get vaccinated, take everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of germs and take antiviral medications to treat flu illness if your doctor prescribes them." (www.cdc.gov)

Receiving the annual vaccination is the most important step to protecting against the flu. The CDC recommends getting an updated flu vaccination each year to provide optimal protection for the most common strains of flu virus. You might encounter the flu virus, even after receiving the vaccination, due to age group and health risk. Younger and elderly patients are more at risk for serious flu like symptoms, as well as individuals with a compromised immune system. In addition, there are instances where a new strain develops (called a genetic drift) that is not protected by the current flu vaccination. Situations such as these are impossible to predict, but ensuring that you have the most current flu vaccination will provide you and your family protection against known serious strains of flu, and may even reduce the risk of more serious flu outcomes.

As a reminder, it is also important to take everyday precautions in order to help prevent the spread of the disease. Make sure to reduce the spread of germs by not touching your face, mouth, eyes, and to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer often. If you are symptomatic, stay home and rest, avoid contact with others, unless seeking medical care, and cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. Lastly, if your provider prescribes antiviral drugs, take them as directed. Starting the antiviral drugs can lead to milder flu symptoms and shorten the duration of flu. Those in high-risk groups (including young children, pregnant women and persons over 50 years of age), who are symptomatic, should contact their primary care provider to be seen as soon as symptoms begin.

For more information, visit www.cdc.gov or call Altus Public Health at 481-5488.

(97th Medical Operations Squadron - Public Health Office)
Sources: Centers for Disease Control