Dr. Theresa Brennan of University of Iowa Health Care is encouraging everyone who has not received a flu vaccine to make that a priority.
“After a very mild flu season last year, we’re seeing a large increase of flu cases this winter,” Brennan said.
UI Health Care went from a single diagnosed case of influenza at the beginning of November to more than 150 positive tests in UIHC’s clinics.
“Flu is one of those viruses that impacts the youngest and oldest in our populations, especially those with underlying conditions,” Brennan said. “Influenza is very communicable as a virus and is a big deal for the workforce and the community in general.”
For health care providers the concern is, if flu cases rise at the same time as COVID-19 cases are on the rise, both could impact and stress health care services.
The advice for avoiding the flu is similar to avoiding COVID-19 — stay home if you feel symptomatic, wash your hands, increase social distancing and potentially wear masks when indoors.
Brennan said that with flu, people who are sick really experience the symptoms, including aches and fever. Those who have an illness like COVID-19 may just have sneezing and sniffles but are still be able to spread the virus.
Currently, flu vaccination in Johnson County is estimated at about 20%.
“We’d like to see vaccination rates of 60, 70 or 80% in communities to help protect against this virus,” Brennan said.
The strain of flu that is going through Iowa and the country at the moment seems to be hitting younger people, especially those in high school and college campuses.
“The flu is not a discriminatory virus, though,” Brennan said. “It doesn’t care what age it’s hitting.”
Health care providers are worried that they might start seeing a spike upwards of COVID-19 again as well.
“We’re not seeing our numbers dropping to the level we were before the last spike, and as temperatures are getting colder and people are pushed indoors, that can lead to more people being infected,” Brennan said. “We know people are hungrier for human contact and following less strict guidance now that vaccinations against COVID-19 have hit.”
Brennan said the early spikes in flu cases have health care providers concerned because, with the virus spiking early, it highlights that it could easily spread this winter.
One of the tried-and-true ways to protect yourself from the flu is to get a flu vaccine, which Brennan was strongly encouraging more people to take time to do this late fall and early winter.
For those who are concerned about getting a flu vaccine, Brennan said they should not have any hesitancy.
“The influenza vaccine has been around a long time,” Brennan said. “We know this vaccine is safe, that it’s tried and true.”