Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth
is seeing the most flu cases in years.
Author: Lauren Zakalik Published: 4:53
PM CST January 20, 2020 Updated: 6:36 PM CST January 20, 2020
FORT WORTH, Texas — WFAA took our flu questions
to Dr. Susie Whitworth Monday, medical director for the infectious diseases
division of Cook Children's Medical Center.
It feels like a lot of people have the flu right
now and that everyone's talking about it on Facebook. Is it in our minds, or is
this flu season pretty bad?
"We are in the middle of flu season,"
Dr. Whitworth said. "There have been a large number of cases and so what
you're perceiving is accurate. There is a ton of flu in the community, both A
and B."
Would you call it a bad flu season?
"I think it's right up there, yes, I
believe I would call it a bad flu season."
In fact, Cook Children's Medical Center has seen
3,595 confirmed flu cases since Nov. 1, 2019, higher than at least the past
five years. Last week, 275 children tested positive for Flu A at the hospital
and 163 tested positive for Flu B. The hospital saw an unexpectedly high number
of Flu B cases at the start of the season, but that's now tapering off and
being replaced by Flu A cases.
Is the flu shot working in this year?
"Yes, the flu shot is working," the
doctor said. "It is not a perfect match for every strain this year. About
80 percent of the time, the flu shot is a perfect match for the strains. This
year it matches some strains, but not all of them. This is not a perfect year
but by no means is it a year to skip your flu shot. You should still get a flu
shot because it still works for many of the strains."
What's the difference between Flu A and Flu B?
"They really aren't that different. Flu A
and Flu B are two different types of the same virus. They both cause fever,
cough, runny nose, aches, pains. They do the same thing."
If you get the flu, how do you best manage the
symptoms?
"If you think you're getting the flu, call
your primary care doctor first. And then you can manage it symptomatically.
Treat your fever, stay hydrated. Sometimes you'd be a candidate to be on
medicine to treat the flu."
Should people still get the flu shot now, in
January?
"Yes," Dr. Whitworth said
emphatically. "You should still get the flu shot now, in January, because
you still have time to get protection from the flu."
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