(WHTM) - Nationwide hospitalizations, outpatient visits and even deaths from the flu are trending upwards, according to CDC data. The agency's illness activity map shows that flu activity is high in Pennsylvania.
WellSpan Health says as of Feb. 9, 136 patients are being treated for the flu in hospitals across central Pennsylvania. That's up from 36 hospitalizations when the flu season peaked last winter.
"People's immune systems have been down a little bit because they haven't been exposed to this stuff in several years," says emergency medicine physician at WellSpan York Hospital Dr. Bryan Wexler. "There's a lot of parties around this time of year. If you have communal bowls of food and such, really make sure you're using your utensils instead of your hands."
To fight the spread it's also important to wash your hands, cover your cough and self-isolate when you're sick.
"Even when you start to feel better, they say you can be contagious up to a week or so," says Patient First Physician Assistant Rebekah Wickenheiser.
She says more patients are testing positive for the flu than COVID-19. Because the symptoms can be similar, she says patients are typically swabbed for both viruses. Flu symptoms include a fever as high as 103 degrees, gastrointestinal symptoms, cough, congestion, body aches, headache, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Health experts say it's critical to stay hydrated with these symptoms.
Tamiflu is an antiviral medication that can be taken within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.
Wickenheiser says it's never too late to get your flu shot. It takes about two weeks for the vaccine to take full effect.
"How effective a flu shot is varies from year to year as well and we never know if this year the flu shot will cover the strains that are present in our region," Wickenheiser says. "We simply test for flu A and flu B. We're having a lot of flu A is what people are testing positive for."
Patient First accepts walk-ins for flu shots at its urgent care locations. Wexler recommends that patients make an appointment through their WellSpan portal if they have one. He says you can also call your primary care doctor.