North Carolina’s number of emergency room visits for respiratory illness has been steadily climbing since November, with peak flu season expected in January and February.
Limiting the spread of the flu and COVID often boils down to common-sense measures. Stay home if you have symptoms like a fever or cough. Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, and wash your hands often.
But to prevent severe illness, health officials say vaccines remain the most effective tool. Infectious disease expert Dr. Christopher Ohl says everyone should get a flu vaccine.
"It may not totally prevent you from getting influenza — or the flu — but it certainly will reduce the severity, reduce the number of days of symptoms, particularly for elderly people or people with underlying diseases, or young babies under the age of two," says Ohl. "It really does help keep people out of the hospital."
For people over the age of 60 and those with underlying health problems, Ohl also recommends the fall COVID booster. He says the shot helps prevent severe disease and keeps people out of the hospital.
For seniors and pregnant women or those with infants, Ohl says, talk with your doctor about the RSV vaccine.