Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The flu is ramping up after a slow start to the season.

Ballad Health this week set visitor restrictions at its hospitals as the flu is spreading rapidly. During Christmas week Ballad Health reported almost 600 cases in two days. According to Ballad, Influenza A has spread rapidly through the region and has been the dominant strain. During the week of Dec. 22, Ballad reported 1,416 flu cases, which averaged out to 202 cases per day.

Jamie Swift, Ballad, Chief Infection Prevention Officer, said, “We are certainly in a period of high transmission, and our numbers are extremely high right now.” Swift said the hospital system expects flu cases to continue to increase. “I certainly expect they’re going to continue to go up since we’re really entering flu season right now.” 

Typically, flu activity starts to pick up around Halloween and peaks in February. This year, however, the virus got off to a later start, with activity only just picking up in recent weeks. 

So far this season, there have been an estimated 3.1 million illnesses, 37,000 hospitalizations and 1,500 deaths from the flu, according to the CDC.

What is the flu? Called influenza, it is a contagious respiratory virus different from the common cold. It is spread by droplets from coughing, sneezing or talking as well as touching contaminated surfaces. Flu symptoms usually come on suddenly and are worse than the common cold. Flu spreads easily from person to person, so if you have flu-like symptoms stay home except to get medical care. Cover your coughs and sneezes with tissues and clean your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub. Most people can manage flu symptoms at home and recover in a few days to less than two weeks, but some people will develop complications, like pneumonia, which can be life-threatening. Because flu can cause severe illness, it’s important to keep an eye on your symptoms and get medical attention if you need it. This is especially important if you have an underlying health condition.

To prevent the spread of the flu, everyone older than six months of age should get the flu vaccination. It not only helps individuals, but those around them.

The number of adults who have gotten their flu shot this year is similar to this time last year: a little under 42%, according to the CDC. Fewer kids, however, have gotten their flu shots this year.

Experts say the best way to protect yourself and help reduce the chances of getting very sick is to get a flu shot. While it’s too early to say how well this year’s flu shot is working, the flu vaccine is typically between 40-60% effective and recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older.

In previous seasons, 80% of children who died from the flu virus were unvaccinated, according to the CDC.

While CDC recommends that people should ideally get a flu vaccine by the end of October, the agency continues to recommend flu vaccination as long as influenza viruses are circulating. Flu vaccination may also help protect people around you, including those who are at higher risk of flu and viruses, like babies and young children, adults 65 years and older, and people with certain chronic health conditions. Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine each year for the best protection against flu. 

According to the CDC, the flu vaccine has important health benefits; It prevents deaths every year, reduces the number of cases of flu, prevents medical visits and hospitalizations. Also, it prevents admissions to the pediatric intensive care unit and the adult intensive care unit.

The CDC recommends that people over 65 and those with chronic health conditions such as cardiac disease, especially those with recent heart events, need to get the flu vaccine. Pregnant women at any time of the pregnancy need it. They are at higher risk of complications. Get the shot with the inactive virus, not the nose spray with the active virus.

“Again and again, people ask if the vaccines are safe,” said Swift of Ballad Health. “Yes. They are made according to strict safety guidelines. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves all vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention monitors them. The most common side effects are pain at the injection site and a low-grade fever.”

The CDC recommends that people over 65 and those with chronic health conditions such as cardiac disease, especially those with recent heart events, need to get the flu vaccine. Pregnant women at any time of the pregnancy need it. They are at higher risk of complications. Get the shot with the inactive virus, not the nose spray with the active virus.

“Again and again, people ask if the vaccines are safe,” said Swift of Ballad Health. “Yes. They are made according to strict safety guidelines. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves all vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention monitors them. The most common side effects are pain at the injection site and a low-grade fever.

She also stressed the use of masks, washing hands and social distancing as ways to reduce infections of the seasonal flu as well.

In addition to getting the flu vaccine, there are many everyday preventive measures which can reduce your risk of getting the flu and other respiratory infections. These actions include:

Washing your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Flu viruses spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze, or talk.

Avoid being around other people when you or they are sick with the flu or other infectious diseases.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with viruses that cause the flu at home and work.

Avoid large crowds. If you are able to limit contact with people during flu season, you can reduce your risk of getting an infection.

It’s important to take the flu seriously. It spreads easily, and can make you very sick.