With flu on the rise locally, the Ellis County Health Department issued the following guidance this week:
First and foremost, KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME IF THEY ARE SICK. Regardless of a doctor's note, your child must remain home for a minimum of 5 days if they test positive for the flu under KDHE K.A.R. 28-1-6. Furthermore, as directed by the state, the local health officer can mandate a 5 day return to work or school for anyone positive with influenza.
Since 11/20/2022, there has been an increase in the number of influenza cases in Ellis County. There have been 2380 people tested for influenza overall since November 20, 2022, and 420 have so far tested positive. Additionally, 888 people had RSV tests done, with 75 of those results coming back positive.
Editor's note: An earlier version of this article had an outdated number of hospitalizations at HaysMed. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were seven inpatient admissions with influenza A. Updated 4:40 p.m. Wednesday.
A quick onset of flu symptoms is normal. Coughing, sore throats, runny or stuffy noses, headaches, fatigue, and some people may also experience vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more prevalent in children than in adults. Other symptoms of the flu include muscle and body pains, fever (sometimes persistent), and headaches.
The best way to reduce your risk from seasonal flu and its potentially serious complications is to get vaccinated every year. For almost everyone who is six months of age or older, the influenza vaccine is advised. Anyone who is at a high risk of complications, such as infants and young children, pregnant women, older adults, and anyone with certain chronic diseases, should get the influenza vaccine.
Residents of Ellis County can get their flu vaccine from their physician, pharmacies, or health clinics. Getting vaccinated also safeguards those around. It's imperative to get immunized if you work with young children, seniors, or people with certain medical conditions. Most flu patients recover in a few days to less than two weeks, but some may develop complications like pneumonia that necessitate hospitalization and pose a significant risk to their lives. Please see the list of the locations in Ellis County where you can obtain the flu shot. Please be advised that each pharmacy has their own policy in place for the age they will dose.
All flu shots for the 2022–2023 season are quadrivalent, protecting against two influenza A viruses and two influenza B viruses, among other four distinct flu viruses. Various vaccinations have varied age ranges for which they are approved, and some vaccinations are not advised for particular populations. Please discuss with your primary care physician which is best for you.
Available flu vaccines include:
Regular Flu - Flu vaccines produced at a standard dose with virus cultured in eggs. Standard dose flu vaccines come in a variety of names, including Fluarix Quadrivalent, FluLaval Quadrivalent, and Fluzone Quadrivalent. These vaccinations are safe to provide to infants as young as six months.
FluBlok Flu - A flu vaccine manufactured utilizing recombinant technology that is fully egg-free and authorized for use in persons older than 18 is called Flublok Quadrivalent. To stimulate a higher immune
response, this shot is created without flu viruses and includes three times as much antigen as other standard-dose inactivated flu vaccinations. Antigen is the component of the vaccine that helps your body develop immunity against flu viruses.
High-Dose Flu - An egg-based high-dose influenza vaccine that is authorized for use in patients 65 and older. To stimulate a higher immune response, this vaccination contains four times as much antigen as previous standard-dose inactivated flu vaccines. Antigen is the component of the vaccine that helps your body develop immunity against flu viruses.
KDHE keeps tabs on flu activity, including the proportion of flu-related hospital visits and fatalities. In 44 deaths that occurred during the 2021–2022 flu season, influenza was either a direct cause or a contributing factor. 1,200 deaths were caused directly or indirectly by pneumonia, which frequently arises in conjunction with influenza illnesses. It is possible to prevent severe influenza symptoms and illness with immunization.
Visit vaccines.gov to find a flu vaccine. Visit kdhe.ks.gov/flu for the most recent updates on influenza news in Kansas.