HealthDay asks Dr. Lauren Siewny, Medical Director of the Duke University Emergency Department
Hi, I’m Dr. Robin Miller for HealthDay. It’s no secret this flu season has been brutal.
The CDC estimates there have been at least 29 million illnesses, 370,000 hospitalizations and 16,000 deaths so far. Why is this the worst flu season in years?
Joining me now is Dr. Lauren Siewny, Medical Director at the Duke University Emergency Department.
Thank you for joining us Dr. Siewny.
Hi. Thank you.
Robin Miller, MD, MHS, HealthDay
Why are flu cases surging in the U.S. this year?
Lauren Siewny, MD, Medical Director, Duke University Emergency Department
I think there's a few reasons for it. Some of it may be some lingering effects from the Covid pandemic — that we're just starting to see folks out and about more and spreading communicable disease. I think some of it is just that it's peaking late this year. And so, it's really feeling like it's dragging out that winter season. And so, everyone that I know feels like they've had some sort of viral illness in the last month.
Robin Miller, MD, MHS, HealthDay
So, what's it looking like in your emergency room?
Lauren Siewny, MD, Medical Director, Duke University Emergency Department
The southeastern United States remains in the high acuity area for influenza. But actually, compared to last year, we have had fewer hospitalizations. Some of it is how you define how busy the flu season is. If you look at hospitalizations, those are a little bit down from last year. But if you look at overall emergency department visits, those have been high.
Robin Miller, MD, MHS, HealthDay
Do you think we've hit the peak?
Lauren Siewny, MD, Medical Director, Duke University Emergency Department
We have hit the peak, at least in this area. It looks like the peak was around the first week of February. Again, that's a little later than last year. Last year was more around the holidays time. But we're starting to see some of those visits come down. A couple of weeks ago, we were seeing about 20 patients a day in the ED with influenza, and now it's down to about 10 to 15. So, people can feel good that we are past that peak and starting to come back down.
Robin Miller, MD, MHS, HealthDay
Do you think the symptoms are more severe this year?
Lauren Siewny, MD, Medical Director, Duke University Emergency Department
I think the symptoms with influenza are always bad. I always kind of joke if you have to ask if you have the flu, you probably don't. If they have the flu, they know it. They are down on the couch. They feel very lousy.
Typically, it's going to be fever, cough, congestion, sometimes sore throat, sometimes some diarrhea.
And typically, a cold doesn't come with a fever, and influenza almost always comes with a fever. So that's one way to kind of tell if this is the flu or more of a common cold scenario.
Robin Miller, MD, MHS, HealthDay
Are kids being hit as hard or harder than adults?
Lauren Siewny, MD, Medical Director, Duke University Emergency Department
I do work in both the pediatric and the adult side of the emergency department and kids, provided that they're not infants, are not immunocompromised, seem to have been handling it pretty well. But we definitely recommend everyone over six months gets vaccinated for influenza and receive treatment if they're presenting within 48 hours of symptom onset.
Robin Miller, MD, MHS, HealthDay
So, it's not too late to get the flu vaccine then?
Lauren Siewny, MD, Medical Director, Duke University Emergency Department
It is absolutely not too late. We still recommend it. The flu vaccine is the best protection we have, particularly at preventing those hospitalizations in the folks who are more susceptible to influenza complications such as the elderly, the immunocompromised and very young children.
Robin Miller, MD, MHS, HealthDay
You mentioned treatment for the flu. What's the crucial time in which to get the treatment? Because I think people don't realize there's a window.
Lauren Siewny, MD, Medical Director, Duke University Emergency Department
Yes, there's absolutely a window. If you think you have the flu, if you test positive for the flu, and you're in one of those conditions that would be potentially susceptible to severe disease, we really want to get that medication started within the first 48 hours.
Robin Miller, MD, MHS, HealthDay
People don't realize that you can die from the flu. How many people have died this year? More than in the past?
Lauren Siewny, MD, Medical Director, Duke University Emergency Department
The CDC is reporting that so far 68 children have died. Certainly, the elderly, particularly those 75 and older and to an extent 65 and older, are also more susceptible to severe disease. And just recently, for the first time this year, flu deaths have surpassed Covid deaths. And so, flu becoming serious is a very possible thing now.
Robin Miller, MD, MHS, HealthDay
When should someone call their doctor or come see you?
Lauren Siewny, MD, Medical Director, Duke University Emergency Department
The things that we really want to see in the emergency department are shortness of breath. That is going to be the number one for us every time. Confusion, severe dehydration, chest pain. Those are the things that I would kind of bypass urgent care and come to the emergency department for evaluation.
Robin Miller, MD, MHS, HealthDay
If you got the flu and you got over it, are you immune for the rest of the year?
Lauren Siewny, MD, Medical Director, Duke University Emergency Department
The good news is, yes, if you had flu A you would not be able to get flu A again. But every year we do see some folks who later on in the flu season contract another version of the flu. Unfortunately.
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