HJAR Nov/Dec 2020

40 NOV / DEC 2020 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS DIRECTOR’S DESK ALOGUE COLUMN ADH CORNER THE VACCINE is an important strategy for staying well. It can help you avoid the flu, and if you do get sick, it can lower the severity of illness. This added protection is especially important this year. Every flu season, people are hospitalized with the flu, which leads to increased stress on the state’s health system. This year, our system is already affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The more people are vaccinated against flu, the less flu will spread, and the lower the burden on the hospital systems will be. Flu and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses that cause mild to severe illnesses – even death in some cases. The 2019-2020 flu season in Arkansas included 1,370 flu-related hospitalizations reported to the ADH and 124 flu-related deaths. For COVID-19, as of the end of September this year, there have been over 83,000 confirmed and probable cases that resulted in 5,400 hospitalizations and over 1,350 deaths. Flu and COVID-19 symptoms are similar. Both viruses can cause fever, chills, cough, headache, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, and vomiting or diarrhea. COVID-19 can also cause a loss of taste or smell. Because it is hard to tell whether a person has flu or COVID-19, additional testing will be needed this year to make an accurate diagnosis. It is also important to note that health professionals are still learning about the long-term effects of COVID-19. One concern is that the virus that causes COVID-19 can infect the heart and cause heart failure–even COVID-19 AND INFLUENZA: Preparing for the 2020-21 Flu Season for people with mild symptoms. The flu can also affect the heart. So, it is better to be proactive and take the steps necessary to prevent getting either the flu or COVID-19. One of the first steps you can take is to get the flu vaccine, especially if you have a higher risk of getting a more severe case of flu. High- risk groups – which are similar to high-risk groups for COVID-19 – are people with chronic conditions, with weakened immune systems, who are pregnant or who are age 65 and older. Young children are also at high risk for severe illness when it comes to the flu, but generally not for COVID-19. This year it will be especially important for everyone who can get vaccinated to get vaccinated. Flu vaccination is recommended for everyone older than six months of age, who do not Flu season may have started already, but it is not too late to get the flu vaccine.