Page 136 - South Mississippi Living - October, 2020

HEALTHY LIVING
story by George Loukatos, MD and courtesy of AlphaCare Urgent Care photo by Donn Hupp
Why It’s More Important Than Ever This Season
George Loukatos, M.D.
This flu season will hit the Gulf Coast at an unprecedented time; during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the symptoms of the flu and COVID-19 being very similar, health care workers will be faced with the challenge of determining who has the flu, who has COVID-19, and who has the common cold.
While testing has become more readily available and results are now available within minutes rather than days or weeks, patients will still have to undergo multiple nasal swabs, which is uncomfortable for both the nose and the wallet. And while it’s true that getting a flu shot does not always preclude you from getting the flu, it usually means your symptoms will be much less severe should you get it. This could keep you out of the doctor’s office and avoid the need to be tested for not only the flu but also COVID-19.
There are also very important public health reasons to get a flu shot this season. First, if you are less likely to get the flu you will in turn be less likely to pass it on to others.
Every year, the spread of the flu causes a spike in visits to the doctor. This year, many doctor’s offices are already overwhelmed with caring
for COVID-19 patients. Adding the increased volume of a busy flu season could overwhelm the outpatient system, leading to long wait times, unavailability of appointments, and in turn lack of access for patients who need routine health care for chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.
In addition, those who have been immunized for the flu are much less likely to wind up in the hospital. As we have seen during the COVID-19 epidemic, the greatest risk to public health is when hospital systems become overwhelmed. If there is a large spike in hospitalization due to the flu, we will run the risk of tipping the scales for a system that is already stressed with combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
So please, for you, for your family, and for all of us, do your part and get a flu shot this year.
ALPHA CARE
URGENT CARE
921 Cedar Lake Rd., Ste. E, Biloxi 228.396.3945
1113 Bienville Blvd, Ocean Springs 228. 300.5945 www.alphacareurgentcare.com
136 | October 2020
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