Some good flu news may be here to lift those winter blues.
In a Board of Health meeting at the Lewis County Courthouse on Monday, Health Officer Dr. Joe Wiley shared the totals of flu-like illnesses in the state saw a sharp decline in recent weeks.
The news comes after two Lewis County residents died of influenza early this year, both of whom reportedly had underlying health issues and were over the age of 65, Wiley said.
He said the last few months had seen a “hump” of flu-like illnesses in Washington much higher than previous recorded years. While the data was still preliminary, his graph from the state Department of Health showed a decline in those cases as steep as the initial increase.
“Hopefully — since, when flu has its play, we've often seen double peaks — hopefully, we don’t see another peak,” Wiley said on Monday. “Although, I have heard from the local offices that we are seeing a smattering of cases … of influenza B.”
Last month, Wiley said this flu season was not necessarily “massive” compared to most years, but that an already-low workforce of health professionals dealing with the wave meant significant strain on hospitals and emergency rooms. He cautioned, “there could be another outbreak of influenza before the season is out.”
Wiley also mentioned concern that vaccine “hesitancy” from COVID-19 had “spilled over” into hesitancy over flu shots and even standard childhood vaccinations.
“The best defense against flu is getting yourself and everyone in your family over the age of 6 months vaccinated every year,” Wiley stated in a news release earlier this year. “Even if you think you’ve already had the flu this season, I still recommend getting the flu shot as you are still at risk for getting another strain.”
He added the community should work together to protect vulnerable populations including young children, older adults, pregnant people and folks with underlying health conditions.
The county’s release also listed measures to prevent and protect others this flu season, including staying home when feeling sick, washing hands regularly and wearing a high-quality, well-fitting mask when in indoor public spaces.
For vaccine location information, residents are encouraged to contact their primary care provider, community health clinic, pharmacy, visit www.vaccines.gov or call 1‐800‐322‐2588.
