By Joanie Morris

Kannapolis Citizen

CONCORD — It’s not too late to get the flu vaccination.

That’s what officials at NorthEast Medical Center want to make sure Cabarrus County citizens know.

Sherry Walter, clinical director of education and nursing practice, also said people should know they may not need to come to the hospital at the first signs of the flu.

“Everybody should take precautions,” said Walter, who added the emergency room is handing out masks to people with flu-like symptoms.

“The flu lasts anywhere from five to seven days,” said Walter. “You just have to ride it out and treat the symptoms and make yourself comfortable.”

Prevention of dehydration is especially important. People with the flu should drink as much liquid as possible — “really try to force yourself to drink fluids, whether it’s soup or juices.”

“If you don’t prevent yourself from getting dehydrated, that’s when you should come to the emergency room,” Walter said. Others should try their primary care physician or an emergency clinic first.

Walter said they should come to the emergency room if both of those options are unavailable. If not, patients with flu-like symptoms will cause delays for patients with other, more threatening illnesses or emergencies.

The flu, more scientifically known as influenza, is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses, according to www.flufacts.com. The influenza virus enters the body through mucous membranes in the mouth, nose and eyes. When a person with the flu coughs or sneezes, the virus then becomes airborne and can be inhaled by anyone nearby, causing that person to contract the virus.

Since it is a virus, the flu cannot be treated with antibiotics or other common illness remedies.

Walter said flu symptoms often include head and body aches, chills, sudden spikes in temperatures and cold-like respiratory symptoms.

Since there is no prescription remedy for the flu, Walter recommended treating the virus with over-the-counter remedies, such as headache and other types of medicines. In fact, she said “you can use all over-the-counter medicines” to treat the flu.

One example is using Tylenol (acetaminophen) and Motrin (ibuprofen) to treat head and body aches. By alternating the two, Walter said, they can be taken every three to four hours for continuous treatment.

“It helps with the aches and pains, but it also helps reduce the fever,” said Walter. She added those suffering with the flu should not take aspirin.

The flu is more common in children between the ages of 6 and 10 and older adults, as well as people suffering from lowered immunity to viruses.

“Everybody should take precautions,” said Walter. That includes taking a flu shot. Other precautions include washing hands frequently with antibacterial soap and warm water for 30 seconds and using hand sanitizers.

If someone in your household has had the flu, the entire house should be cleaned and surfaces should be wiped clean with a product such as Lysol, Walter said. In addition, if you have the flu — or simply flu-like symptoms — Walter said to be sure to sneeze and cough into a tissue and be sure to discard it.

“If you sneeze or cough into your hands, immediately wash your hands,” she added. If not, when you go to touch that doorknob to leave a room, you leave germs on the door for someone else to pick up. “You can prevent that from being spread.”

At NorthEast Medical Center, the flu epidemic is spreading. They are seeing more and more patients coming into the hospital with the flu.

“We’re monitoring our positive flu tests and we’re already in the upswing,” said Walter. During the week of Dec. 4, only 12 percent of patients reported positive flu tests. During the week of Dec. 11, that number had risen to 22 percent positive tests. Numbers for last week were unavailable at press time.

Walter attributed the rise in flu patients to contact with others with the flu and poor prevention methods, such as not washing hands and skipping the flu shot.

“It’s not too late to get the flu shot,” Walter said. Flu season lasts from October to March and while the hospital is in the middle of flu season, the hospital will continue to see patients through March.

In Cabarrus and surrounding areas, Walter said the flu is peaking now. In other parts of the nation, it’s at a normal level.

The flu season can be tracked online using www.flufacts.com. By putting in your zip code, you can see what the local status and severity of the flu is in your area, versus the status and severity on a national level.

In Kannapolis on Tuesday, the level was in the high range, at double the national average.

Hospital officials encourage everyone to get the flu shot — especially health care workers.

“We didn’t want to be the ones spreading it,” Walter said. “I try to practice what I preach.”

When the flu is prevalent in a region, it starts to affect other areas besides the emergency room and hospital, Walter added.

“People can’t go to work,” she said. “Businesses start closing. Schools start closing. That’s how it turns into a pandemic.”

Contact Joanie Morris at 704-932-3336 or jmorris@kannapoliscitizen.com.