SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – As we move deeper into the winter season, we approach peak cold and flu season in the Upper Midwest.
While it isn’t caused by colder weather, the changing temperatures make a large impact on our bodies’ immune systems. Further into winter, cases of seasonal illnesses, including the influenza virus, go up. The biggest spike in cases are typically seen in January and February.
“I would kind of anticipate that that’s going to be similar this year because we haven’t seen a ton of flu, yet,” said Physician Assistant and PA Program Assistant Professor at the University of South Dakota, Katie Kassin.
Kassin said it’s concerning to see influenza vaccine rates trending down in South Dakota, especially among youth, older folks or those with underlying health conditions who could be more at risk for severe outcomes like hospitalizations or even death if infected.
“You know, you could roll the dice and say, ‘Well, I may or may not get influenza. I don’t know. We’ll see.’ But if you do get influenza, you can’t really, necessarily predict if you’re going to be one of those people who gets super, super sick from it,” Kassin explained.
Avera Pediatrician Dr. Dan Boadwine agrees. He said vaccinations would make a difference as we wait to see the impact of a new flu strain making its way to the United States. The H3N2 strain, also known as “subclade K”, has been studied in areas where flu season hits before it does in the U.S. Dr. Boadwine said other locations are reporting it to be more infectious.
“The best thing that vaccines do is it kind of primes your body to have that appropriate response, so when you do come across an infection that you may not have seen the exact strain or type of before, your body already knows, ‘Okay, this is foreign to me. I don’t want it. It’s going to make me sick.’ So it can have a much faster and much more robust response,” Boadwine said.
The vaccine doesn’t prevent all cases, but it helps keep you from getting more serious symptoms. Of course, there are many more ways to prevent getting sick that are simple, yet bear repeating each year.
“Really, making sure that you’re getting yourself enough sleep, that’s always important and helpful for your immune system to function properly,” described Boadwine. “Keeping yourself otherwise healthy, exercise, appropriate diet, those sorts of things. That’s going to be your best bet. Other things would be washing your hands using soap and water. Hand sanitizer’s great, but soap and water will always go a step further with certain infections.”
“Washing your hands, and it doesn’t mean just throwing a little soap on and trickling it under water for a couple seconds,” stated Kassin. “We’re talking a good sixteen to twenty seconds of washing your hands very thoroughly with soap and water.”
If you do find yourself sick, Kassin and Boadwine recommend staying home to prevent the spread. Covering your mouth when sneezing or coughing will also make a difference.
Since October, there have been 88 cases of influenza reported in South Dakota. The South Dakota Department of Health last updated those totals on December 3rd.
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