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With the holiday season quickly approaching, experts are suggesting creating a family or community bubble as the safest way to enjoy this years holiday celebrations while reducing your risk of COVID-19 and the flu. NBCLX storyteller Clark Fouraker shares a holiday bubble checklist that your holiday group can adopt in the days and weeks before your gatherings to ensure everyone…
Support Your Immune System Naturally
Having a basic understanding of nutrients and how they can benefit your immune system will help to support your healthy lifestyle . Some of the nutrients that help support the immune system, include vitamin C, zinc, garlic, and vitamin D.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C is an antioxidant, along with vitamin E, beta-carotene, and many other plant-based nutrients. Antioxidants block some of the damage caused by free radicals, substances that damage DNA. Florida Orange Juice is an excellent source of vitamin C, and a good source of potassium, folate, and thiamin. Make sure to include Florida Orange Juice as a regular part of your healthy diet to help support your immune system. Interested in finding new ways to consume vitamin C? See our Homemade Vitamin C Gummies recipe.
Garlic: When you think garlic, you probably think of its strong smell or its ability to defend against vampires. Butdid you know that garlic is also a defense against certain viral infections, such as a cold? Garlic has been used for centuries throughout various cultures as an immunity supporter, and although there is limited evidence, is claimed to be a natural anti-bacterial that fights nasty germs that invade your body. Additionally, garlic has long been thought of as a natural expectorant that can help break up mucus and clear congestion. In other words, it may help you avoid a cold and relieve your cold symptoms. Check out our yummy garlic infused Florida Orange Chicken and Corn Pot Pie.
A Look At Past Flu Seasons
The strain of influenza that circulates can change from year to year, and the vaccine is adjusted in an attempt to predict which will predominate. Here is a look at the flu over a period of 10 years.
2018-2019 Flu Season:
- Most common strain:Influenza Aboth H3N2 and H1N1
2017-2018 Flu Season:
- Most common strain:Influenza A
2016-2017 Flu Season:
- Most common strain:Influenza A
2015-2016 Flu Season:
- Most common strain:2009 H1N1 influenza A
2014-2015 Flu Season:
- Most common strain:Influenza A
2013-2014 Flu Season:
- Most common strain:2009 H1N1 influenza A
2012-2013 Flu Season:
- Most common strain:Influenza A
2011-2012 Flu Season:
- Most common strain:Influenza A
2010-2011 Flu Season:
- Most common strain: Influenza A
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Take Care Of Your Mental Health
We often overlook the mental body inside our physical one. The past year has taken its toll on many individuals, giving way to financial insecurity, job loss, relationship stress, and more. Stress, anxiety, sadness, and anger can be detrimental to our immune systems and overall well-being. Make sure that, in addition to exercise and a healthy diet, you take time to participate in self-care. Whether that looks like scheduling an appointment with a therapist, spending an hour meditating, or treating yourself to a massage, prioritize giving yourself a break from lifes daily stressors.
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When Illness Strikes Your Kids: A Survival Guide For Parents
Its inevitable for kids to get sick from time to time, despite all your efforts to keep them healthy. Below, Dr. Weiland shares some helpful tips to keep them comfortable and encourage recovery while maintaining your sanity.
First things first, go easy on yourself. Regular routines and rules may take a temporary backseat while your kids are under the weather. Dont worry too much about screen time or that your children want to eat cereal for breakfast and lunch for a few days.
Its ok to loosen up on some routines to make it easier to get through the days your kids are home, Weiland said. As a positive reinforcement, let them watch their favorite movies or allow a special treat if they are well behaved when you need to get things done.
According To The Cdc Just Under 42% Of Floridas Population Ages 6 Months And Older Received A Vaccine Lastflu Season The Lowest Level In The Country
Flu season is here and cases are on the rise in Florida.
With the holiday season upon us, concerns grow about the states flu vaccination rate and the unwillingness of some to get a shot.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 41.7% of Floridas population ages 6 months and older received a vaccine during the 2020-21 flu season the most recent data available on a statewide basis.
Thats the lowest rate nationwide, followed by Mississippi at 42.1% and Wyoming at 42.6%.
That figure, according to University of South Florida College of Public Health professor Dr. Marissa Levine, can be attributed to the climate, as well as younger peoples hesitancy to get the jab.
There’s a sense that flu isn’t an issue for them. And I would just say that that may be true for a lot of people, but people younger than 65 still get hospitalized and can die from the flu, including children, Levine said.
With Florida being a popular destination for tourists, Levine said the influx of people in and out of the state could contribute to the spread of influenza, here and elsewhere.
I think Florida would be at greater risk if the vaccine levels don’t get higher because open for business and people come here for the warmer weather. We also could be a place where you can not only bring the flu in, but you could pick it up and take it back with you. So, it could play a role there too, Levine said.
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Stay On Top Of Routine Vaccines
Immunizations protect your child against severe illnesses and reduce the risk of serious outcomes from life-threatening illnesses like influenza. If they do get sick, their symptoms are likely to be less severe and their recovery quicker, Weiland said.
Influenza is here
- In November, UCHealth labs found 407 positive tests for influenza.
- Almost all of the positive flu tests were positive for Flu A.
- Six people have been hospitalized for flu in UCHealth hospitals.
Anyone 6 months of age and older is eligible for the flu vaccine. Its recommended to get your annual flu shot in the early fall if possible, but its still worth getting if your household hasnt yet been vaccinated. Better late than never, Weiland said.
She continues to urge everyone who can be vaccinated against COVID-19, to do so, especially since infants and children are still getting sick with coronavirus. Now, anyone 5 years of age and older are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
When Does Flu Season End
Usually, flu season lasts for about 12 weeks according to experts. But that can vary quite a bit, depending on where a person lives and how many strains are circulating. In the United States, the flu season can last through May.1
Every year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention works with local health departments in major cities and at the state-level to track how the flu spreads.1 In this process, the CDC tracks when and where cases of the flu appear, when they increase and decrease, what strains are spreading, and the number of hospitalizations and deaths caused by complications with the flu.1
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Whats Going Around Fl Flu Super Cold Covid
FLORIDA Though the number of new COVID-19 cases has dropped significantly in Florida since this summers surge, which was largely driven by the emergence of the delta coronavirus variant, residents and visitors still need to remain alert when it comes to threats to their health.
Not only was the latest coronavirus variant, omicron, detected in Florida for the first time Tuesday, but other illnesses including the cold, flu and respiratory syncytial virus are popping up in various areas across the state.
Just under 11,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the state during the week of Nov. 26 through Dec. 2, according to data from the Florida Department of Health. Thats a far cry from this summer, when tens of thousands of cases were sometimes reported in a single day and some weeks saw more than 150,000 new cases.
Still, the omicron variant, which was confirmed at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa on Tuesday, has many people on edge across the globe and in Florida, especially as the 2021-22 cold and flu season arrives in the Sunshine State.
Much remains unknown about omicron, including whether it is more contagious, as some health authorities suspect, whether it can thwart vaccines and whether it makes people as sick as the original strain, according to the Associated Press.
A total of 33 counties about half the counties in the state saw an increase in flu cases that week.
What Happened To The Flu Season In Florida
Several weeks into 2022 and Floridas flu season appears to be nearly non-existent.
For the first three weeks of the new year, typically the height of the season, flu has been at low levels across the state.
In South Floridas tri-county area, influenza activity actually has declined each week in January and is below the previous three-season level, Floridas weekly Flu Review shows.
Doctors and nurse practitioners throughout South Florida attribute fewer cases of flu to multiple factors, and dont expect to see a repeat of the horrid flu season the state endured in early 2020 just as COVID was arriving.
I think the flu has been overshadowed by the prevalence of COVID, said Dr. Carla McWilliams, chair of the infectious disease department at Cleveland Clinic Florida. Flu season varies from year to year in terms of when it peaks in Florida, but over the last four to five weeks weve seen little activity.
Typically, flu season in Florida runs from November to April but often peaks in February. In contrast, by January of 2020, doctors already were reporting a spike in people with fatigue who were testing positive for Type A flu, the most common strain early in the flu season.
RELATED: Florida’s daily COVID case count »
This year, omicrons surge appears to have curbed some of the spread as Floridians reacted with an increase in mask-wearing and handwashing along with more people isolated with COVID or exposure to it.
Theres a preventative option, too.
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Get Medical Advice And Care From Your Couch
Wondering if your child needs to be seen by a doctor? In many cases, your child can be seen and treated by a UCHealth professional often their own provider from the comfort of home with Virtual Visits. Existing patients can log on to their My Health Connection account and select Virtual Visits or choose Virtual Urgent Care to schedule an appointment with the first available expert. If youre new to UCHealth, set up an account here to make an appointment. Of course, if your child seems seriously ill, dont wait, head to the nearest urgent care or emergency room.
Not sure how to tell if its a cold, the flu or COVID-19? Call your familys pediatric provider with questions and guidance about testing.
Cold And Flu Season During A Pandemic
By: Dean Viskovich
What options do doctors have in determining if a patient has the flu or COVID-19?
The days of assuming a sniffle and low fever during the Fall are just signs of the common flu are long gone. The challenge doctors now face is determining whether a cough, temperature and sore throat is the flu or COVID-19. If the symptoms are essentially the same for both illnesses, whats a doctor to do? In the old days before Fall of 2019, a doctor would order a lab test to see if the patient tested positive for the flu. Today, a doctor who is faced with a patient with fever, chills, cough, runny nose, headaches and fatigue now must know if it is the seasonal flu or COVID-19. Ordering a COVID-19 test may seem like the obvious choice, but a more efficient alternative exists. Instead of a standalone COVID-19 test, ordering a comprehensive respiratory pathogen panel is a better decision.
Labs are currently revising their respiratory pathogen panel to add COVID-19, but the practice is not universal. Labs allowing doctors to electronically order a comprehensive respiratory panel that includes both the flu and COVID-19 is an option that should be considered the new normal.
UPDATE:
As a follow up to the article above, the American Medical Association has updated its Current Procedural Terminology to include laboratory respiratory pathogen tests to include coding for laboratory tests that detect both COVID-19 and influenza at the same time.
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Should You Get A Flu Shot
In short, yes. The CDC recommends that almost everyone get a flu shot, except those in very specific, rare circumstances. Think about the flu shot like a practice run for the actual flu. The flu vaccine works by introducing a small amount of flu virus cells to the body, prompting an immune system response. As the immune system learns about the new flu strain, it comes up with ways to attack and suppress it.
The immune system then commits these actions to memory so it can be ready for the real thing. When you come into contact with the actual flu, your body can get rid of it because it is already familiar with the process. Some people have more symptoms from the flu shot than others, but light symptoms can mean the vaccine is working.
The flu shot is different each year, so getting it the year prior may not be helpful for this years strain. Scientists take their best guess as to which strain will spread and affect people most during that year. The vaccine then takes this strain and uses it to help people avoid coming down with the viruss awful symptoms. Theres no surefire way to know which strain will spread the fastest but getting a flu shot certainly decreases your chances of getting it.
The Florida Department of Health advises getting your flu shot as soon as possible. Even if you contract the flu, the vaccine can help minimize the effect of symptoms. For those in high-risk groups, this is especially helpful in keeping hospitals clear and open for COVID patients.
Doctors Believe Last Year’s Protections Against Covid
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Doctors believe last year’s protections against COVID-19 also protected people from the cold and flu
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Doctors believe last year’s protections against COVID-19 also protected people from the cold and flu
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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.
If youve been sneezing, coughing or sniffling lately, youre not alone.
Doctors in South Florida say theyve seen an increase in cases of the flu and even the common cold.
And, in a way, COVID-19 is to blame.
Because weve been secluded and had less exposure, and now all of a sudden were out there in the world again, Dr. Larry Bush, an infectious disease doctor in West Palm Beach.
Compare right now to this time last year.
Most people were wearing a mask and staying socially distant.
That didnt just help curb the spread of COVID-19, it also helped curb the spread of other diseases.
Now, with far fewer masks and far less social distancing, people are vulnerable again to more common viruses.
Anywhere you have a bunch of people sitting together, youre more likely to see these outbreaks, said Dr. Olayemi Osiyemi, an infectious disease doctor in West Palm Beach.
Osiyemi said another concern is the lack of people getting a flu vaccine.
He believes people have been so focused on the COVID-19 vaccine that fewer people are paying attention to the flu.
He said that will lead to a much more severe flu season.
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Some Simple Steps To Help Lessen The Possibility Of Getting A Cold The Flu Or Other Virus Include:
- Avoid anyoneincluding family memberswith symptoms of fever , nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Specifically, you should avoid close, personal contact, such as hugging, kissing, and shaking hands
- Wash your hands frequently with hot, soapy water for at least 15 seconds.
- Remember that surfacesespecially in bathrooms, on shared office equipment, on store counter tops, gas pump handles, any surface of the car, and in restaurantscan expose you to germs. Keep alcohol-based gel or wipes handy, both out in public and at home.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Use the crook of your arm to shield coughs and sneezing. Do not use your hands or handkerchiefs as they carry moisture that spread viruses.
- Stay home from work or school if you are sick.
- Please remember that you should never discontinue medications used to treat your lupus without first consulting with your doctor.
Over The Counter Fever Reducer/pain Reliefmedicine
Use as needed to keep uncomfortable fevers and aches and pains under control, but first carefully read the labels to ensure the correct dosage and concentration for your childs age and weight.
- Acetaminophen
- Ibuprofen never give to an infant under 6 months old
Note: There arent any cough or cold medicines on this list because they are not recommended for children under age 6 due to unproven effectiveness and potential side effects. Weiland offers some other options for helping cough and cold symptoms below.
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