Madison County Health Department
Contributor
Emergency departments and urgent care clinics in our region are beginning to see a sharp increase in influenza-like illness (ILI) visits in emergency departments. While Madison has not seen the same flu activity as our surrounding counties, it is still expected that we may experience higher-than-usual flu activity this season due to the interconnectedness of our communities. Australia, which experiences their flu season first and often foreshadows our season, had an early start to their season and experienced one of their worst flu seasons in recent years. Per CDC, “For most people who need only one dose for the season, September and October are generally good times to get vaccinated. While it’s recommended to get vaccinated by the end of October, it’s important to know that vaccination after October can still provide protection during the peak of flu season.”
New for this season: For people 65 years and older, there are three flu vaccines that are preferentially recommended over standard-dose, unadjuvanted flu vaccines. These are Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent vaccine, Flublok Quadrivalent recombinant flu vaccine and Fluad Quadrivalent adjuvanted flu vaccine.
In addition to flu, there has also been an increase in Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) across the U.S. and Florida, with some regions nearing seasonal peak levels. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV, can be serious, especially for infants and older adults. There is no vaccine for RSV but there are steps that you can take to protect your children and loved ones. These include frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, disinfecting high-touch surfaces, avoiding touching your face, and avoiding contact with sick people.