For some, it starts with a sore throat. For others, it’s a sniffle or a cough. Then come the aches and chills. Possibly a fever. Next thing you know, your nose is as red as Rudolf’s but without the fun of saving Christmas.
That’s right. It’s flu season. Or, as the U.S. Department of Health now refers to it, respiratory virus season.
Currently, COVID-19 cases in Oklahoma are on a slight rise, with the State Department of Health’s Viral View website putting it at moderate risk, though the spread is only regional. The other two viruses the site tracks - influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) - are both at low risk, though RSV cases are also rising. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Dec. 6 that flu cases were currently growing in 37 states, including Oklahoma.
It’s difficult to predict just how bad the season will be since there are so many variables, according to Scott Haywood, communications coordinator with the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
“One of the things we look at as an agency is, of course, vaccination rates. If the vaccination rates stay low, then we are going to say, okay, there is a chance here that those numbers may go up,” he said.
He added that since the pandemic, society has slacked away from one of the easiest prevention methods - handwashing - but said vaccines were another good prevention method. Haywood said the Lincoln County Health Department has flu vaccines and the latest COVID-19 shot. He was unsure of the availability of the RSV vaccine but encouraged those seeking it to call ahead.
Megan Jones, a pharmacist at Hite’s Drug, seconded getting vaccinated.
“Most people, we normally recommend starting to get them… around September. We used to start giving them later, but we’ve kind of started a little bit earlier this year,” she said. “And obviously, same thing they say for everything. Good hygiene, wash your hands, cover coughs and sneezes.”
She added that it’s a good idea to wash your hands as soon as you get home after being out and about and to carry hand sanitizer. Jones said Hite’s has seen the usual amount of flu shots this year. As for influenza and COVID-19 cases, she said it varies from season to season.
“This year, it hasn’t been too bad so far,” she said Hite’s Drug offers vaccines for influenza, COVID-19, shingles, pneumonia, whooping cough and RSV. Appointments can easily be made on their website, though they take walk-ins.
According to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), right now is the best time to get a flu or COVID-19 shot.
“Normally by this point of flu season we’ve seen at least an initial surge,” said OMRF physician-scientist Hal Scofield, M.D., in a press release on Dec. 11. “And this year, right on track, we began seeing it last week, both in Oklahoma and nationally.”
Influenza typically hits the Southern Hemisphere several months before the first cases in the U.S., making Australia a good indicator of what to expect in the upcoming flu season. This year, the country has had its worst outbreak since 2019, the press release continued.
December is right behind February for the most common month of peak flu activity, based on historical data covering the last 42 flu seasons. This isn’t great since, according to the CDC, the number of American adults with a recent flu shot is at its lowest since at least 2019.
There is still time to get max protection from a flu shot or COVID booster, said OMRF immunologist Linda Thompson, Ph.D. She said that if you got your shots in October, you should still have sufficient protection. While neither shot offers absolute immunity, both will lessen the symptoms.
Flu symptoms usually include a moderate to high fever, headache, chills or sweats, sore throat, extreme fatigue and muscle aches. Those at greatest risk include adults over age 65, children under 2, pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions.
COVID-19 has a lot of the same symptoms, though in addition, has the lost of taste or smell, according to the CDC. Older adults are also at a higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19. RSV is a common respiratory virus that affects the nose, throat and lungs. It’s most common in children and can be incredibly serious for infants and older adults, according to the CDC.