GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Health officials want to remind people to get tested for COVID-19 if they are experiencing symptoms. Other respiratory illnesses, such as the flu, are starting to become more prevalent once again. Doctors say that could make it more difficult to track COVID-19.
Because of safety protocols taken over the last year, Wisconsin Health Services reported fewer than 100 cases of the flu last season. Which Dr. Robert Mead with Bellin Health says is unusual.
“Influenza was basically a no show,” said Mead. “We had almost no cases of influenza throughout the state which is unheard of and we did not have a lot respiratory illnesses either. ”
Doctors are concerned with less masking and social distancing, that respiratory illnesses like the flu, may come back and complicate tracking COVID-19.
“It’s going to be critically important that anytime someone develops symptoms of a cold or flu that we test them,” said Dr. Ryan Westergaard, the chief medical officer for Wisconsin Department of Health Services Bureau of Communicable Disease. “Because if we don’t do that we’re going to lose the signal of where and when COVID-19 is spreading.”
Which is why Mead expects COVID-19 testing to be readily available if patients think they may have any respiratory illness. Especially when they are already seeing respiratory diseases start appearing again.
“The urgent cares and emergency rooms are very busy, the hospitals are very busy and they’re seeing a lot of respiratory illnesses now even though it’s not necessarily respiratory season,” said Mead.
But to prevent surges of respiratory illness and COVID, Mead encourages everyone eligible to get vaccinated.
“I just want to stress the safety of the vaccine it’s been tested, experimented with, vetted and extremely safe and extremely effective and strongly recommend it to prevent any serious illness from COVID,” said Mead.
DHS reports almost 61% of adults 18 years and older have received one dose of the vaccine. And 56.3% have completed their vaccine series.
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