Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
An abrupt onset of chills, sweats, high fever, headaches, sore throat, tiredness and coughing - yes, it's that time of the year.
Flu season.
"Indiana is experiencing pretty heavy influenza activity right now," said Dr. William Remington, Kosciusko County health officer.
Typically, in North America, influenza season lasts six to eight weeks sometime between Thanksgiving and March. Remington said it appeared the flu season now is at its peak. This year, the influenza season has been a typical year, occurring in late February and March.
And the type of influenza is, by and large, Remington said, the type that the vaccines offered the past few months were made to fight. Regrettably, there was a flu shot shortage this year. As influenza season is on the downturn, however, it's almost not worthwhile to get a flu shot now, though it wouldn't hurt either.
"I sense we aren't seeing as many patients this week as we have in the past two weeks," Remington said.
In the last three weeks, Remington said, he's seen a substantial number of cases of influenza. His patients also are reporting to him that absenteeism at school and work have been high.
"At this point, it doesn't look any worse than previous years," he said.
But not everyone sick has the flu.
"There's a whole mix of viruses out there," said Bob Weaver, Kosciusko County Health Department administrator.
He said he knows there have been many doctor visits and many people are seeing their doctors about upper respiratory ailments. While some have symptoms of the flu - fever with body aches - he said there is the possibility they could have something other than the flu.
Remington said the flu is a respiratory presentation, not a stomach virus, though it may include nausea and vomiting.
"Adults will tell you they ache all over," said Remington, though not every case of the flu is the same. "The main event is respiratory. It's a respiratory illness."
A typical adult with the flu may miss three to five days of work. People who are ill, Remington said, should stay home during the early onset of the flu when it's most contagious.
"If they'd stay home and rest, they'd feel better," he said.
According to the Indiana State Department of Health, there are several ways for people to help control flu outbreaks.
When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands. Put the used tissue in the wastebasket.
After coughing or sneezing, clean your hands, washing with soap and water or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner.
Stay home from work or school when you are feeling ill.
