Flu activity in Georgia remains elevated but is showing signs of slowing down after a post-holiday surge, according to the latest figures from the Georgia Department of Public Health.
Georgia remains at a“very high” level of flu activity along with a dozen other states, according to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The number of illnesses took a dip after a steady climb which could signify flu season may have reached its peak. Doctors say it’s an encouraging sign, but too early to know whether the flu season will continue to ease or accelerate once again.
“It’s exciting to see the trend going downwards. We want to continue to see it going down,” said Seema Lakdawala, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Emory’s School of Medicine. “But what we have seen many seasons is an initial dip and then the cases can surge back up.”
The latest Georgia flu report for the week ending Jan. 6 shows the percentage of people going to the doctor for flu-like symptoms fell to 8.2%, down from 11.1% during the previous week.
The data from doctor visits is based on the number of people going to the doctor with symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat. It can include people who are suffering from any of the circulating viruses: flu, coronavirus or Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Also circulating are the common cold and the bacterial infection known as strep throat, according to local doctors.
According to the state Department of Public Health, 279 people were hospitalized with the flu in the week ended Jan. 6 in the eight-county metro Atlanta region that includes Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, Cobb, Douglas, Gwinnett, Rockdale, and Newton counties. That’s up slightly from the week earlier when 274 people with flu were hospitalized in the metro Atlanta region.
Physicians agree the best way to avoid spreading and contracting viruses is to get vaccinated and stay home if you are sick. Doctors and the CDC recommend early treatment for anyone who gets sick, especially for those at high risk of serious complications. Antivirals are available for both COVID and the flu but must be taken shortly after symptoms appear.
COVID numbers have also risen in recent weeks but so far, this latest COVID uptick seems less deadly than last year’s and much less than the spike in early 2022 when the omicron variant first appeared. Meanwhile, RSV is on the decline after an earlier rise in cases.
You can’t tell the difference between flu and COVID by symptoms alone because they can be so similar, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only a test can distinguish between the two. And getting a test quickly is key to getting early treatment which includes antivirals.
Regardless of the virus, most can manage their symptoms at home. Doctors emphasize the need for hydration, rest and nutrition.
People who are at high risk of being severely ill from COVID or the flu, including people who are 65 and older, those with diabetes or lung disease, and those who are immunocompromised should talk to their health care provider for advice and whether any prescription medicines are needed.
Even adults who are at low risk for complications are advised to watch for serious symptoms that require immediate care, such as wheezing or difficulty talking without getting winded, severe chest pain, or sudden dizzy spells.
Lakdawala, an expert on infectious disease transmission who has completed multiple studies on the epidemiology of influenza, urges people to not let their guard down and take measures such as avoiding people who are sick and following good hand hygiene to help reduce the chances of catching or spreading a virus.
“If you are not feeling well and you don’t go out, go to work, go to school, you probably should not,” she said. “If you do have to go out, wear a mask, an N95 mask, they are readily available now. Wear a mask when traveling and if people around you are coughing, try to distance yourself.”
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