WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – It’s the start of the flu season and some counties in the north country are already seeing a higher number of flu cases in comparison to 2021.
“The first week of October statewide there were 596 cases of flu reported, and that’s compared to 150 cases last year at the same time,” said Lisa Lagos, Jefferson County Public Health Service educator.
Out of those 596, 15 have been reported in Jefferson County.
Lagos says it’s not an unusual trend given that health guidelines during the Covid pandemic such as social distancing and masking have been lifted.
“We had a lot of mandates that prevent the spread of Covid and those same measures helped prevent the spread of flu as well,” she said.
Lagos says it is now easier to get the flu. However, a higher trend in cases doesn’t necessarily correlate with a lower immunity to the influenza virus.
“Really depends on a person’s exposure personally, also if you’ve been vaccinated or not against the flu this year and past years,” she said.
St. Lawrence County public health officials say the 2021 flu season was not a normal season. It extended to the month of June when it typically ends in the month of May. St. Lawrence County currently has reported fewer than 10 cases this season.
“I will say that our prior influenza season, we did notice that it was an abnormal season. Part of it is believed to be attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Carly Zimmermann, St. Lawrence County Public Health Department deputy director.
Health officials say it’s too early to tell whether or not this flu season will be the same. Some ways to prevent getting the flu include getting vaccinated, getting enough sleep and eating healthy.
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