GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – Flu season is here and there are some grim numbers to report: 17 states are reporting high hospitalization rates and South Carolina is among the top four states and territories with the highest number of cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Margaret Sullivan, whose asthmatic received the flu vaccination two weeks ago at the recommendation of her doctor. She calls the latest numbers released by both the CDC and State Department of Health and Environmental Control concerning.
“Pretty scary,” Sullivan said. “It’s nothing to play with. (If I contracted the flu) it would cause a lot of problems for me.”
Which is also why she’s never missed a year being vaccinated.
“The doctors and hospitals can’t do it alone,” Sullivan said.
She’s not the only one concerned with protecting herself and others, last month the Urban League of the Upstate partnered with Walgreens to bring flu shot clinics to the most vulnerable populations.
“This is a new initiative,” said Dr. Serge Afeli, Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy associate professor of innovation and entrepreneurship. “It’s a process.”
While he also says the medical profession can’t brace for a flu season alone, he also encourages outreach which is why he works with the Upstate Urban League.
“There is this disconnect like the trust factor between some members of the community and the medical profession,” Dr. Afeli said. “There’s a large education piece that needs to be taken into account.”
That’s one area of concern. FOX Carolina went to Pelham Medical Center to learn what emergency room physicians are experiencing.
“I don’t know the specific reason for why South Carolina is in the ‘purple’ – I would think it would have something to do with lower vaccination rates and some vaccine hesitancy,” said Dr. Justin Davis, MD, Pelham Medical Center emergency care physician.
Dr. Davis says for the last month the emergency room has experienced an uptick in patients with influenza like illness, and symptoms.
“Respiratory type illnesses with fever, shortness of breath and body aches,” he said.
It’s an area of significant concern for a flu season that typically peaks in December or January.
“I just think that our best defense is what the CDC recommends – anyone over six-months old that is able to get a flu vaccine to get vaccinated,” Dr. Davis said.
He also says it’s a timely and equally strong recommendation for a safe and healthy holiday season.
“Vaccination will create antibodies to the influenza virus and decrease the rate of spread or risk of spreading,” he said.
The Urban League of the Upstate will hold another pop-up vaccination clinic this month. If the flu season is as unpredictable as some reports suggest, clinics will run through January.
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