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CONNIE SWINNEY • STAFF WRITER

BURNET — Healthcare workers have prepped their facilities in anticipation of the impending flu season and encourage patients to practice prevention and watch for symptoms of influenza infection.

“A flu can be described as the worse cold you ever had. It’s the usual sore threat, congestion, sneezing, runny nose, sinus drainage — only with muscle aches and fever thrown in, in most cases,” said Dr. Mike Cravey, MD of Baylor Scott and White Health – Hill Country Region. “A lot of people come in and think they have the flu but with no fever thrown in, I am highly skeptical.”

The flu is marked by a respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that wreak havoc on the nose, throat and lungs.

Other symptoms include muscle aches, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhea.

Prolonged infection can lead to complications such as bacterial pneumonia, ear and sinus infection, congestive heart failure and asthma.

“It’s helpful that we have a rapid screen for influenza based on a nasal swab,” Cravey said.

Symptoms can last from five days to two weeks.

For weakened patients or those in a high-risk category such as the elderly, babies, healthcare workers and those with compromised immune systems, a severe infection can lead to death in some cases.

The best advice is to avoid infection.

“One needs to be cautious about approaching people who are sneezing and coughing without covering,” Cravey said. “In recent years, the elbow cough has come into vogue, and I think it’s better than nothing.”

Washing and sanitizing helps, too.

“In the clinic we practice these precautions almost without thinking,” he said. “Anytime you cough and cover with your hand and wipe your nose, it’s a good idea to get around to using a sanitizer or washing your hands, so you don’t pass along any infection you have.”

Lane Luna, family nurse practitioner at Baylor Scott & White Clinic in Burnet, says healthcare workers recommend the annual vaccine as the best way to boost one’s resistance to the virus.

“There’s a different vaccine put out by the industry every year to cover what’s going on around the world,” Luna said. “What was last year’s vaccine may not be this year’s vaccine.”

The behavior of those infected can influence the severity of the season.

“Some people do not stay home when they have the flu even though it’s very contagious,” Luna said. “Certainly be alert for the symptoms of the flu because if you see them you’ll want to avoid people.”

The peak of the influenza season is typically in January.

“It’s starting. This fall is usually the beginning of the flu season. It ends in the spring,” Luna said. “You typically can get a flu shot year-round.”
Cravey added, “This is the best time, if you haven’t gotten it already.”

TO READ ABOUT THE 2015-2016 INFLUENZA VACCINES, CLICK HERE.

A nasal spray vaccine is also available for people two to 49-years-old as an alternative to shots.

connie@thepicayune.com