Thanksgiving is just two weeks away and that means the flu virus is inviting itself to dinner.
Doctors are seeing the most flu cases they've seen in two years but it's not exactly what you think.
“Remember that as COVID came upon us, everyone started putting on masks. We were social distancing and we were doing all these things. And so flu cases also really went down because that's how flu spreads,” explained Dr. Joseph Chang, chief medical officer for Parkland Health.
He said that helped keep numbers virtually non-existent last year and in 2020 but things have changed a bit this season.
"As we all know, no one masks in public anymore. So that barrier is gone,” said Dr. Chang. "This year, we're definitely seeing a return to more ‘normal numbers’ so it is an increase, but it's probably not going to reach the levels of the year or two before COVID. So we're still doing a little bit better. And I think that's still because we're still paying a little bit more attention than we used to about staying away from people who are sick, keeping ourselves away when we are sick, washing hands and stuff like that.”
With that said, Dr. Chang says flu is still trying to make a comeback.
It's top of mind for so many right now, especially after a McKinney teacher died recently of complications from the flu.
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Doctors say your best defense is the flu shot – whether you're healthy or not – so that you don't spread it to the most vulnerable people in your family this Thanksgiving, like older relatives and little ones.
But there is one myth that Dr. Chang says he hears every year that actually prevents people from protecting themselves – people who claim they don’t get the flu shot because they think it gives them worse flu than the actual virus itself.
"Guys, it's impossible. I tell that to folks all the time, that there is no flu virus inside the flu shot. It's just flu parts. So it's not working viruses – it’s not possible for you to get flu from the shot. And I need people to know that,” he said.
So far this season, Parkland has had about two dozen patients in the hospital for flu which Dr. Chang says historically, is not a lot.
However, children's hospitals are still getting slammed with RSV cases, the other big culprit of the season for kids.
“RSV is definitely different this season. No one really knows why came on so early and so strong in our area – it's really pretty widespread across the United States,” said Dr. Chang.
So this is your reminder to protect yourself going into the Thanksgiving holiday.
“It is a very good idea to get vaccinated, even if you feel you don't need it. Guess what? It still protects all of those loved ones around you,” said Dr. Chang. “How bad would you feel if you were the one that unknowingly brought flu to grandma, and now grandma is really sick. And that's a real big problem you really want to avoid.”
