Flu spreads throughout Cache Valley

This has been a pretty severe influenza season according to Leona Goodsell, Deputy Director of Nursing for the Bear River Health Department.

“We are up to 34 hospitalized patients in the Bear River District, and that includes Box Elder, Cache and Rich County. We are still seeing the influenza-like illness high, it’s elevated above the 2.5 that they consider to be the national threshold for national influenza-like illness. So we’re seeing a lot of influenza in the area.”

Goodsell advises those who have not had a flu shot to get one now and she says there is still vaccine available. She also acknowledges that some people who have had the shot also get flu-like symptoms.

“Your flu shot has got three strains in it. It protects you from those three strains,” Goodsell explains. “They consider that if people get the flu shot that they have greater than 60% protection.”

Goodsell says if those who get the flu vaccine do get sick, it is usually not as harsh and does not last as long. She also tells residents of the district to stay home if they are sick and to not go to work, school or church.

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