It’s the season of giving and receiving. Unfortunately, the number of people passing influenza around is on the rise.
The Douglas County Department of Health and Human Services reports that the number of people with influenza is on the rise — as of Dec. 7, there have been 1,066 reported positive influenza tests.
“Although we are seeing an early flu season, it is not too late to get a flu shot,” said Mark Rupp, M.D., chief of the UNMC Division of Infectious Diseases and medical director of Infection Control and Epidemiology at Nebraska Medicine. “We anticipate that we’ll continue to see influenza circulate in the community for the next several months, so there is still value in getting the vaccine even if you have put it off until now.”
Peter Iwen, Ph.D., senior biosafety officer at UNMC and the University of Nebraska at Omaha and director of the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory, said preliminary results suggest that the flu virus currently circulating is represented in this year’s flu vaccine.
To combat the arrival of influenza and to treat patients experiencing flu-like symptoms, Nebraska Medicine is once again offering same-day flu treatment clinics.
- 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
- Old Market Health Center, 1319 Leavenworth St.
- Eagle Run Health Center, 3685 N. 129th St.
These flu clinics, in addition to Immediate Care Clinics, serve as a convenient alternative to emergency departments, relieving pressure at emergency departments and creating a better patient experience.
Influenza is a serious illness, responsible for approximately 25,000 deaths per year in the United States. When it hits, it can cause fever, chills, cough, sore throat, sore muscles, and a runny nose — which lasts for four to five days.
“Even after most symptoms have resolved, it may be weeks before you are back to normal,” Dr. Rupp said. “Your best bet is to try and prevent the disease altogether and get the flu shot. Even though the vaccine is not perfect, with about a 50% effectiveness, 50% is better than zero.”