Alaska state health officials say the flu season is off to an early start, and could be moderately severe.
Influenza, also known as the flu, started to peak in mid-September, said state epidemiologist Dr. Joe McLaughlin. Last year the flu season didn’t kick off until the end of November, he said.
“Since we're already seeing influenza cases and hearing a number of reports of people getting hospitalized from influenza, not only here in Alaska but in the Lower 48 as well, it is a good time to go ahead and get vaccinated now,” McLaughlin said.
Alaska isn’t the only state seeing an early flu season. There has been reported activity across the Western states. Some experts point to a new variant that evolved a mutation as a potential cause for the early season.
There is no sure way to know how this flu season will go, McLaughlin said. But it helps to look at how the flu season went in the southern hemisphere.
“When we look at what happened in the southern hemisphere this past winter for them, which was our summer, they categorized their influenza season as moderately severe,” McLaughlin said. “So, it's likely that that's what's going to result in the United States.”
Oftentimes there will be two waves of influenza during a season, McLaughlin said.
Last year, Alaska experienced more influenza cases and deaths than during each of the previous three years, according to a bulletin from the state health department. There were 36 influenza-associated deaths reported.
McLaughlin said that the flu vaccine is the best way to reduce the risk of flu-related illness, hospitalization and death.
You can also prevent spreading the flu by avoiding close contact with people who are sick, covering coughs and sneezes, and washing your hands.
If you believe you have the flu, McLaughlin said it's best to stay home. A person is most likely to spread the infection the day before symptoms appear and three days after they are gone, he said.
Those at the highest risk for severe flu include adults 65 and older, children under 5 and people with pre-existing medical conditions.
Although small, there have also been recent cases of COVID, he said. McLaughlin recommends also getting the latest vaccination against the current strain.
