Surprisingly, we seem to be hanging in there compared to other cities.  As you may know, both Boston and NYC have declared public health emergencies.  However, the “Flu Team” at UT has been monitoring cases in the ED and the hospital and the patient “load” is better than last week.  There is even no unusual spike in staff absenteeism. 

Nevertheless, we remain on guard.  Plans are being considered should we have to face what has been occurring in other parts of the country.  This may include expanding emergency department operations and establishing an alternative care site on-campus.

In addition to the flu vaccine, you may want to discuss with your healthcare provider the pros and cons about antiviral therapy in case you or a loved one gets the flu.  The CDC recommends antivirals especially for certain populations like the hospitalized and those at greatest risk for complications.  Usually the sooner one receives the antiviral, the  faster the recovery and less likelihood of a complication.

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 17th, 2013 at 5:40 pm and is filed under Uncategorized.
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