By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Freakish amounts of mucous, congestion that lingers for weeks, coughing that is irrepressible, and fevers that drain the last ounces of energy. Anyone who has experienced these symptoms lately knows this is not a normal flu season.
Public health officials have been warning about the “tripledemic” of influenza, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) and Covid-19.
Health care systems are being strained, shelves are depleted of flu medicine, and in Bowling Green schools were closed on Friday because absences hit 500 due illnesses.
Influenza, which normally peaks in February, has driven up hospitalization rates to the highest level for this time of year in more than a decade, surpassing hospitalizations from Covid-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the CDC, some portion of this steep rise in cases is related to the fact that more people are being tested for the flu than in previous years. Over the month of November, about twice as many flu tests were done at clinical labs nationwide as during the same period last year. More testing means more cases will get picked up.
However, there are warning signs that this is truly a bad season. Flu hospitalizations are four times as high as they usually are at this time of year, according to the CDC.
“We’re not even sure if we’ve peaked,” said Wood County Health Commissioner Ben Robison on Thursday.
“The primary goal is prevention,” he said, suggesting that people stay home when sick, get a flu vaccination, and wear masks if they must go out in public.
Adding to the severity of the illnesses is the nationwide shortage of TamiFlu medication which lessens the severity of influenza symptoms, Robison said.
Wood County Hospital has seen an increase in patients being admitted for influenza, according to Wood County Hospital President Stan Korducki. During an interview with Clint Corpe of the Morning Show earlier this week, Korducki talked about this year’s flu.
“It is something that can sock you and put you in bed for a couple days – and no one wants that around Christmas,” he said.
Initially, it seemed to be children who were most affected by influenza and RSV this season. But that’s no longer the case, Korducki said.
“You can be 30 and get the flu and get really sick. It’s not just something that you worry about with your kids or worry about with grandma,” he said.
Korducki said it’s not too late to get flu shots.
“We’re encouraging people who haven’t made the time because they’re busy shopping and doing other holiday prep, to consider getting their flu vaccination this year,” he said.
Robison agreed.
“This year’s flu vaccine is a really good match for this year’s strains,” he said.
Because of a steady increase in the number of student and staff illness in Bowling Green City Schools over the past week, Superintendent Francis Scruci closed schools on Friday.
“We were hoping with everyone practicing and reinforcing positive hygiene habits that we could make it through the end of the semester without making a difficult decision,” Scruci wrote in an email to parents. However, on Thursday there were 500 absences due to illness.
It was hoped the closure would allow custodial staff to do a deep clean of all buildings and will give students, teachers and staff a chance to get better or stay healthy, Scruci said.
“It is our intent to be open all three days next week as we have exams and holiday events that our staff and students look forward to having,” he wrote.
Robison reinforced the advice for people to stay home when sick.
“Hopefully folks get well so they can enjoy the holidays,” he said.
