Local health officials are urging you to stay vigilant when it comes to influenza, even though virtually all the illness headlines across the globe have focused on the coronavirus recently.
Lana Anstey, the medical clinic manager at Flint Hills Community Health Center, says it’s easy to let your guard down this time of year.
Anstey says there are still a lot of people coming in with flu symptoms, so she encourages people to stay on top of good handwashing techniques because the flu season may not end for another month. She also encourages people to stay home if they are sick, cover all coughs or sneezes and stay hydrated. She also says sleep — or lack thereof — and increased stress can set the stage for illnesses.
Anstey says flu cases are coinciding with several upper respiratory illnesses, so it’s important to know the difference in symptoms. Flu has a rather sudden onset, while the common cold — also known as rhinovirus — comes on more gradually. Fevers, body aches, chills and chest discomfort are also common with the flu but not with the cold.
