Flu is here but not as bad as last year; reported to be Influenza Type B

POPLARVILLE — Most medical providers in Pearl River County say they are not seeing any Swine Flu this year that so held the public’s attention last year, but there is an Influenza Type B that has been active here. There have been instances of severe cases reportedly hitting entire families, parents and children alike, say local health care providers.

Although the local infection can be severe, the number of cases is about normal so far, according to health care providers.

Nurse Practitioner K.K. Hodge of the Poplarville Family Medical Clinic, 1222 So. Main St., said the clinic saw a peak in flu infections right before Christmas holidays began, but cases have trailed off following that pre-Christmas peak.

“It could rise again as we get into the peak season,” she said.

Influenza Type B, the kind being seen mostly, is the regular “seasonal flu,” and infections seem to be running at what would be an expected normal level for this time of year, days Hodge. She said Family Medical Clinic gives flu shots.

There have been reports of severe cases of flu among Picayune residents.

The Associated Press reported that the South and New York City are hot spots for the flu right now, and it’s expected to spread into other areas of the United States.

Medical experts said there is plenty of vaccine on-hand and urged residents to get flu shots now since it takes about two-weeks for the protection to kick in after a shot.

The Center for Disease Control) in Atlanta told the AP that it recommends vaccinations for most everyone except infants younger than six months and people with severe allergies to the eggs used to brew the vaccine.

Most drug retail outlets now offer the shots.

Drug store giant Walgreen hopes to give 15 million flu shots this flu season and has given nearly s6 million so far, making it the single largest non-government provider of flu vaccine.

Federal health officials announced last month that the company agreed to donate $10 million in vouchers for enough free shots for 350,000 uninsured people in regions deemed especially in need, the AP reported.

There are two Walgreen stores in Picayune, one at U.S. Highway 11 and Mississippi 43 North and another at Interstate 59 and Miss. Hwy. 43 South. Both offer flu shots.

Other pharmacy outlets throughout the city offer the shots, too.

The CDC says the flu so far is striking very hard in parts of the South — Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi — and New York City. Illinois and Oklahoma also are reporting high flu levels.

CDC’s Dr. Daniel Jernigan says that Illinois and Oklahoma are the leading edge of the virus outbreak. He said that infections always slow down during holidays because people are not moving around as much and trading germs.

Dr. Sarah Nafziger is caring for “a ton” of flu patients in the emergency room at the University of Alabama Birmingham. “Most of the time they don’t show a lot of remorse” for not getting their flu shots, she said.

January and February are considered the worst flu months and the season can drag into March.

Swine Flu is hitting England hard and spreading to the European continent, health officials told the AP. Swine flu is not hitting the U.S. very hard this year because most people were vaccinated for it or have already had it, experts said.

Medical experts with the Mississippi Health Department suggested that citizens also get pneumonia shots along with flu shots. They said that one of the most severe complications with the flu is pneumonia.

http://picayuneitem.com/local/x233315833/Flu-is-here-but-not-as-bad-as-last-year-reported-to-be-Influenza-Type-B