PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Flu season is upon us. And this year, it arrived earlier than usual.
After a “two-year hiatus” due to pandemic precautions like handwashing, masking and social distancing, flu cases are now at a record-breaking high. States like Pennsylvania and New Jersey are already seeing moderate to high levels of cases.
“Our flu level of where we're at right now – that was the max of our flu season in, say, 2015,” said Dr. Jonathan Stallkamp, Chief Medical Officer at Main Line Health. Pennsylvania has recorded 12,065 cases so far this season, while New Jersey has had 9,313.
In addition to the flu, RSV and COVID-19 are also affecting people, and hospitals are getting busier by the week, Stallkamp explained.
“We're kind of hitting that ‘tridemic,’” Stallkamp said.
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Stallkamp recommends getting the flu vaccine as soon as possible to prevent more hospitalizations and overcrowding.
“The flu affects, really, everybody,” Stallkamp said. “It absolutely affects the kids, but it also affects older patients … the elderly can get very, very sick from the flu.”
If you do get the flu, Stallkamp said to ask your doctor about Tamiflu, an antiviral medication that can help decrease the severity of the virus and your chances of hospitalization.
With the holidays around the corner, Stallkamp suggests taking extra precautions in the coming weeks to protect loved ones.
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