As we head into flu season amid a global pandemic, concerns about staying healthy are compounded by fears of contracting the virus. It doesn’t help that symptoms of the
flu and COVID-19 overlap and distinguishing the difference can be difficult. But according to MultiCare Indigo Urgent Care’s Dr. Mark Mariani, following preventative guidelines and practicing good hygiene can go a long way toward keeping us flu-free.
Most of us are already in the habit of washing our hands more than usual and that’s a practice that should continue, Mariani advises, along with wearing a mask when we go out in public. Most importantly, if you’re experiencing symptoms and don’t know where they’re coming from, stay home. “It seems obvious, but there are always individuals who say, ‘I’m going to continue with my normal life,’” says Mariani. “That puts others at risk. So, if we can really hone in on the simple things like washing our hands, wearing masks and not being out and about when we’re sick, we can really help our community.”
If you’re already not feeling well, the next question is when to seek medical help. Mariani recommends following your instincts and taking your health seriously. “It’s hard to communicate what that line in the sand is,” he says, “but if you’re feeling really run down and like you’re not getting better and you have concern about your symptoms, absolutely speak with your health care provider or come into urgent care.” Regardless of what’s causing your symptoms, it’s important to consider how your health might impact others, particularly family members, friends or colleagues who fall into higher-risk categories.
Mariani is also a strong advocate of flu shots, which are available in multiple locations this time of year. “There are a plethora of options,” he says. “Most retail pharmacies offer them, and your doctor’s office will have them. All MultiCare Indigo Urgent Care facilities also provide them for adults ages 19 and up.”
Some people doubt how effective flu shots really are, but Mariani explains that their key value is in reducing the risk of contracting the flu virus. “One of the main myths that you hear is that if it’s not 100 percent effective, I’m not going to take it,” he says. “That’s not the best way to look at it. It’s important that we get as many people immunized against the flu as possible, so it decreases the overall community potential of it spreading.”
Additionally, there’s concern COVID-19 will place additional strain on hospitals and our health systems, so getting a flu shot may also help minimize hospitalizations from the flu.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that between 9.3 million and 49 million people contract the flu each year in the United States, with between 140,000 and 810,000 of those resulting in hospitalization and 12,000 to 61,000 ending in death. The wide range in estimates is because seasonal influenza may lead to hospitalization or death from other causes and even when patients are tested, the virus is only detectable for a limited number of days.
With flu symptoms and COVID-19 symptoms so closely resembling each other, any sign of illness will be more troubling this year. “Going into the flu season, understandably people are going to be worried about COVID-19,” says Mariani. “Any symptoms are going to be under the microscope, whether it is just a common cold or the flu, which is also a virus. We’re all used to having the flu around, but now we have real health concerns about patients who are particularly vulnerable.”
Unfortunately, distinguishing the difference between COVID-19 and the flu is difficult without being tested. “It’s just so hard to discern between the two, and then there are seasonal allergies that include a runny nose and itchy eyes,” says Mariani. “We’re all waiting for the day when we have the ability to know and discern better, but at this point it’s just too hard.”
One potential silver lining from the pandemic: with so many people taking precautions like never before, fewer flu cases may result. “We work with our public health officials in our laboratories to monitor the rates of positive flu tests,” says Mariani. “Usually we can see a very steady increase once flu season happens. We’ll be monitoring what the actual rates are in the coming weeks.”
MultiCare Indigo Urgent Care has convenient locations in Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater. Appointments are not required for flu shots.
Sponsored
