February may seem too late for flu season, but according to health experts, this month is again proving to be the peak time for cases of influenza across the nation.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the number of people with the flu is spiking, and many more people are likely to fall ill before the season ends.
“For the last 30 years in the United States, February has been the prime month for illness with the regular seasonal flu, though infections can occur in April and as late as May,” said internal medicine physician Dr. Michael Koller of Loyola University Health System (LUHS).
Effective vaccines
The H1N1 strain, also known as “swine flu,” is still around but it’s not as widespread. To account for its presence, this year’s flu vaccine contains the H1N1 strain as well as two others: the Perth H3N2 virus and the B Brisbane virus.
Fortunately, this year’s vaccine has been a good match to the strains circulating in the United States, so getting vaccinated this late in the season can still offer protection, even if flu activity has already started in your area.
“Doctors used to advise getting a flu shot only in October and November. Now doctors vaccinate through February because it only takes about two weeks to develop an antibody response after the flu shot,” Koller said.
Each year in the U.S. between 5-20 percent of the population contracts the flu.
This year, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended large parts of the population get vaccinated, including parents and caregivers of infants, children six months and older, seniors age 50 and over, people with chronic illness (asthma, diabetes, heart disease) and with weakened immune systems (including those with HIV or AIDS).
Flu symptoms
Flu symptoms tend to come on abruptly and affect the entire body. They include a high fever, intense chills, body aches, exhaustion and constant, unproductive cough.
In most parts of America, flu appears almost only during the winter. If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, it is best to act fast and speak to your doctor within 12 to 48 hours.
As well as the spike in cases of the flu, Loyola and other hospitals are seeing a spike in the number of cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), an infection of the small airways of the lungs that’s also known as bronchiolitis.
According to Dr. Jorge Parada, director of infection prevention and control at LUHS, RSV is a respiratory virus that can produce flu-like symptoms.
Like the flu, RSV is highly contagious. It can be spread by physical contact with someone who is infected and through the air by coughing and sneezing.
“In adults, it’s generally mild. In young children, especially babies and children with respiratory problems, it can be life threatening and those children require immediate medical attention,” said Parada.
