Georgia one of 7 states with worst flu-like outbreak as school resumes – The Atlanta Journal Constitution

The data is based on the number of people going to the doctor with symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat. It can include people who are suffering from any of the circulating viruses: flu, coronavirus or Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Also in the mix are the common cold and the bacterial infection known as strep throat, according to local doctors.

The states latest report shows a higher level of flu illnesses in early January compared to this time over the past three years.

At SmartMED Drive-Thru Medical Care in Roswell, about 75% of their patient volume has been for respiratory illnesses over the past few weeks.

There has been no slowdown in recent days. Dr. Luke Lathrop, chief medical officer at SmartMed, expects the volume to increase even more during the coming days as children return to school.

Dr. Jim Fortenberry, chief medical officer at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, said Wednesday the hospital system is continuing to see high volumes of children with respiratory illnesses coming into the emergency room and children needing to be admitted.

Widespread flu activity is driving the current spike in illnesses. COVID numbers have also risen in recent weeks but they are not as high as previous years. Meanwhile, RSV is on the decline after an earlier rise in cases.

Fortunately, RSV numbers seem to be declining. We hit our RSV peak towards the end of November. Currently, the primary diagnosis we are seeing has been children with the flu. Were also seeing a slight increase in children with COVID-19 virus infection, Fortenberry said in an email.

Physicians agree the best way to avoid spreading and contracting viruses is to get vaccinated and stay home if you are sick. Doctors and the CDC recommend early treatment for anyone who gets sick, especially for those at high risk of serious complications. Antivirals are available for both COVID and the flu, but must be taken shortly after symptoms appear.

Most people can recover from COVID and the flu at home. And no matter your risk, if you have difficulty breathing or shortness or breath, seek medical care right away.

New COVID hospitalizations are up in Georgia, but they remain lower than previous holiday seasons. In Georgia, new COVID hospitalizations totaled 501 for the week ending Dec. 23. Thats up from 472 the previous week, a 6% increase. Nationally, new COVID hospitalizations increased by 17% over the same period.

The CDC estimates that 42% of adults in the U.S. have received a flu shot, according to estimates on Dec. 9. Only 18% of adults have received the updated COVID vaccine, And only 17% of adults 60 and over have received an RSV vaccine.

Credit: cust

Credit: cust

COVID-19 Vaccines:

CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get the COVID vaccine that was updated this year to protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID illness. New variants continue to surface, but the current formula still offers protection.

People who recently had COVID can hold off getting the vaccine for three months.

Flu vaccines:

Everyone 6 months of age and older should get vaccinated for the flu. Ideally, get the shot by the end of October but later is better than never. The seasonal flu vaccine is reformulated each year to tailor them to the virus types predicted to be most common in the upcoming season. Even when its not a perfect match, the shots can prevent serious illness.

RSV Vaccines

The CDC recommends the RSV vaccine for adults over 60, after they have a conversation about it with their health care providers, something called shared clinical decision-making. Pregnant women are also recommended to get an RSV vaccine during their pregnancy. Babies born to mothers who get the RSV vaccine at least 2 weeks before delivery will have protection and, in most cases, should not need an RSV immunization later.

The CDC had also recommended earlier all children under 8 months of age get an RSV shot, along with older infants at higher risk for severe disease. But due to a shortage of the immunization, the CDC recommended in October that doses be prioritized for children under 6 months of age and for infants with underlying conditions that place them at the highest risk for severe RSV disease. Local doctors say the availability of the RSV doses is starting to improve.

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Georgia one of 7 states with worst flu-like outbreak as school resumes - The Atlanta Journal Constitution