Kevin Stetter has experienced the typical seasonal cough, chills, runny nose and headache for the past six days.
Stetter decided to take a COVID test given their symptoms. Since the pandemic, many people don’t hesitate to wonder whether these “seasonal” symptoms are flu or possibly more than that.
Sept. 22 marked the first day of the fall season, and the weather has been up and down since.
With new periods of continuous rain and drastic changes in temperature between mornings and evenings, people are more likely to get sick, said Stetter. Oxford specialists recommend ways to treat flu-like symptoms that are rising from the change in seasons.
Flu and COVID-19 can have similar symptoms. However, with the decrease in COVID cases in the past few months since the latest strand developed, the flu symptoms have been more detectable according to Kroger’s clinic nurse practitioner Corinne Barrett.
“We have a combo test we use that has the Flu A&B and COVID,” said Barrett. “It is a combo test we swab on the nose and see which one we are dealing with so that we know we are not treating them for the wrong thing.”
Kroger and CVS’s walk-in clinics on Locust and Spring Street have vaccine appointments available to Oxford residents.
According to Barrett, the full flu season started a lot earlier than expected. Normally, cases appear at the end of November until December or January.
“This year we have seen cases as early as October, making this a unique season,” Barrett said.
The flu zone is a type of vaccine dose designed for the general public. As explained by Barrett, specific dose concentrations are provided to different age ranges. Anyone is eligible to receive this dosage, but those with immunocompromised levels should consult with a clinician or their primary doctors.
For college students in Oxford, the student health services provide the flu vaccine option to prevent the spread of the virus. Flu clinics are offered in the wellness center.
According to the director of health services at Miami, Akeisha Wilson-Coulibaly, “[there] are flu trackers that help identify and track activity, determine which viruses are circulating and any changes in the virus, and evaluate the impact of the virus on the population.”
“Number one is always getting vaccinated to combat the Flu,” said Barrett. “You can always also do your vitamin C, handwashing, good hygiene, stuff like that, but the only medicine is symptom care and Tamiflu for those sicker.”
