Ga., S.C. flu figures improve, but experts remain cautious
AUGUSTA, Ga. - The flu statistics for South Carolina and Georgia seem a little better than they have been, but health officials warn folks not to see that as a trend.
“It looks a little better regarding flu, but I would hesitate to call this a trend,” said Dr. Martha Buchanan, lead medical consultant for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. “We continue to see people being hospitalized for flu and COVID. So flu and COVID are still very much with us.”
As it has been for weeks, South Carolina remains among the states with the top levels of flu activity. It’s at Level 13 in the “very high” tier of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s scale, ed by New Mexico, Tennessee and Louisiana.
The good news is the decline in other states at Level 13.
Last week, a band of other states across the South, including Georgia, were at Level 13. This week, Georgia’s level is still in the “very high” tier, but only at Level 12.
Buchanan said experts will have to wait a few weeks to determine whether the number of cases is truly falling.
She said it is not uncommon to see more than one spike during flu season.
“COVID is certainly proved a little less predictable than flu for us,” she acknowledged. “We haven’t really learned the trends for COVID yet so we continue to see respiratory illness, though the numbers might be a little lower than they had been.”
Buchanan said just over 6.5% of South Carolinians who are eligible have received the most up-to-date COVID vaccine.
Flu vaccine numbers are slightly up with about half of those 65 and older having received one, but that number drops to about 15 in younger demographics.
Vaccination is the key ways to protect yourself from the flu, COVID and the respiratory syncytial virus. Even if you are vaccinated, Buchanan said it’s important to stay home if you feel ill so that you don’t spread illness to anyone else.
“Stay home if you get sick and it’s not just with a respiratory illness. Stay home if you are sick with a stomach bug,” she said. “If you are sick, you need to stay home and away from others.”
She stressed the need for people to wear a mask if they have to go to the emergency room or a doctor’s office to avoid spreading illness to others.
Patrick Phillips of WCSC contributed to this report.
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