If you're like most people, you've been busy the past few months. Fall is such a busy time for many people, and now we're in the middle of the holiday season and all its activities. It's understandable if you haven't had the chance to get your annual flu shot. But there's still time. In fact, [...]
People of all ages get sick with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza, and COVID-19, but dealing with these diseases can be especially trying for parents of young children. Fortunately, in most cases these viruses cause mild illness that can be treated at home by managing fever and pain and drinking lots of clear fluids. In [...]
No one wants to experience the fever, cough, and body aches that often come with influenza. That's especially true with the holiday season quickly approaching. The good news: You can still get the 2022-23 influenza vaccine for protection against the flu this year. Arizona is experiencing a busy flu season so far. Since the season [...]
As you’re preparing for the holidays, now is a great time to add COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations to your to-do list. It takes at least two weeks to build antibody protection after vaccination. Getting your Omicron COVID-19 booster and flu shot now — and you can get both in one visit — means your immune [...]
Pinal County recently recorded this season’s first pediatric influenza death in Arizona. This heartbreaking news is a reminder that children younger than 5 who get influenza are among those at increased risk of complications including pneumonia, worsening of chronic conditions, encephalopathy, and sinus and ear infections. Quite simply, influenza is an unpredictable virus that can [...]
The weather may be cooling down, but respiratory diseases are beginning to heat up in Arizona. Common cold-causing viruses such as rhinovirus and enterovirus are circulating at this time throughout the U.S. The 2022-2023 influenza season recently began Oct. 2, but we’re already seeing a higher rate of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity [...]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has always been clear on who should get a seasonal influenza vaccine when it becomes available each year: everyone 6 months and older. For some people, though, the risk of having severe complications is higher than it is for the rest of the population, the CDC reminded [...]
Like COVID-19 has proven to be, seasonal influenza is predictably unpredictable. Case in point: Arizona is currently seeing increasing numbers of influenza cases much later than the five-year average shows, though overall numbers for this flu season aren’t as high as some recent seasons. Other states are seeing a similar trend. COVID-19 and influenza share [...]
A year ago, the precautions so many Arizonans took against COVID-19 - staying indoors, avoiding large groups, and wearing masks - also helped protect against the flu. There were fewer flu cases in 2020 compared to 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Many Arizonans have returned to their pre-pandemic routines, [...]
The Arizona Department of Health Services has been closely monitoring COVID-19 on an international, national, and local level. Mitigating the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, a respiratory disease that can cause symptoms ranging from mild cold-like illness to severe pneumonia, is a high priority. While only one case has been reported in Arizona [...]
