“It’s difficult to predict how severe this flu season will be, but we can see year by year the pattern is that it increases with holidays,” said Dr. Daived Abboud of Patient First.
This trend will likely peak in January and last until March.
Doctors advise taking necessary precautions such as washing your hands, covering your mouth while coughing or sneezing and getting the appropriate vaccines.
“Virtually everyone over the age of 6 months, with very few contraindications, should consider getting a flu vaccine,” said Dr. Jeffrey A. Jahre, St. Luke’s University Health Network.
Jahre said that last year, many children went without the flu vaccine.
“It was the worst mortality that we’ve seen in children with influenza in 15 years,” Jahre said.
He said getting the vaccine does not mean you won’t get the flu, but in most cases it does prevent you from going to the hospital.
Doctors say if you are sick, you should stay home until you are fever-free for 24 hours.
