Respiratory virus is still surging - and Texas hospitalizations are climbing fast

Remember to take precautions and wash your hands often this holiday season, as respiratory virus season hits Texas. Flu-related cases are increasing in the state,  according to public data from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). 

Public data from DSHS shows a rise in flu-related hospitalizations this season. It also revealed that weekly emergency department visits have increased by over 4,000 this month, reaching 9,993 as of December 13.

In Bexar County, the trend is about the same. As of December 6, emergency department visits continue to climb due to influenza, according to public data from the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District . Data shows the most positive flu cases are among ages 0-1 and 5-24.

While cases are ramping up, the flu isn't at its peak yet. Flu cases are typically at their highest in January and February, as temperatures begin to drop, Barbara Taylor, an infectious disease specialist at UT Health San Antonio, the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio, and at University Health, previously told MySA . 

Health officials are asking others to be prepared, as last year the United States reported at least 600,000 hospitalizations and tens of thousands of deaths, according to DSHS. The flu season was so severe that the country had its highest rates of flu hospitalizations in nearly 15 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

How to protect yourself from the flu?

To protect yourself from the flu, the most effective measure is to get a flu vaccine, which takes a couple of weeks to become effective, Taylor said. Public health officials recommend that everyone six months of age and older get vaccinated as soon as possible. Older adults, very young children, people with chronic health conditions and pregnant women need to get protection from the flu as they are most at risk, according to the DSHS. 

Taylor said handwashing is crucial to protecting yourself. She added that wearing a mask can be effective as flu is mostly droplet-transmitted. It is also advised to avoid public or communal settings, especially indoors, if you feel unwell.

The flu versus allergies

In Texas, it's a challenge to determine if your symptoms are flu-related or just allergies, as the seasons overlap with each other, Taylor said. The standard symptoms, like a running nose and sore throat, could be mistaken for allergies. However, Taylor said body aches and fever usually aren't allergies and could be a telling sign of the flu.

If you are experiencing shortness of breath, Taylor said to seek immediate medical attention. The flu can go from an upper respiratory infection to pneumonia.

How long are you contagious if you have the flu?

The flu can stay contagious for a while, Taylor said. Generally the the guidelines are that you're most contagious for the first three days after you start experiencing flu-like symptoms. However, Taylor said it can be challenging to determine when those three days started.

"Especially for folks who have allergies and then get the flu, it could be very hard to say, when did this really start?" Taylor said. "Occasionally and unfortunately, you can be contagious a day before you get symptoms with the flu, which is very hard to deal with and hard to avoid, and we see that with many respiratory viruses, flu and COVID and other things where you're actually shedding the virus before you have symptoms yourself. That's a real challenge."

Because of that challenge, Taylor said it's best to just stay away from public places and others if you're feeling unwell, especially during the holidays when families are gathering.

"Unfortunately, flu season is upon us. It is somewhat inevitable, but there are all things that we can do both to sort of protect our own health and the health of our family members," Taylor said. "Every year, we have people die from the flu. We tend not to think about flu as causing deaths, but it definitely does, and almost all of those deaths are avoidable."

This article originally published at Respiratory virus is still surging - and Texas hospitalizations are climbing fast .