GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – COVID is still here, but don’t forget about the flu.
Health officials are predicting the upcoming flu season to be worse than normal.
Bellin Health emergency Dr. Brad Burmeister tells FOX 11 they typically look to what the southern hemisphere has encountered with influenza as their season is opposite of ours. He says places like Australia had a busy flu season with higher than average hospitalizations.
But he adds that predicting a flu season is a lot like tracking a hurricane; you know it’s coming but it can pivot or change course at any moment.
With COVID cases spreading, it can be difficult to tell if you have COVID or the flu by symptoms.
Dr. Burmeister says influenza is typically a respiratory virus. That means that people typically get a fever from it but also a cough, sore throat, sneezing and runny nose. He says some may get upset stomach or diarrhea but those are more common in children.
It’s very rare but possible that one can have COVID and the flu at the same time.
Dr. Burmeister encourages people to get their flu shots now as the season can peak as early as October.
Typically the flu season runs from October through March or even April. It commonly peaks in February but has peaked in October in the past, so the earlier you get your flu shot, the better.
He adds that it takes the body a couple of weeks after the vaccine to build up that immunity.
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