ATLANTA — Tonight Georgia is in the high range for flu. You can see the spread of the virus on a map provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
And the CDC says 4.6 million people have gotten sick this season and 1,900 have died with flu.
Doctors say a highly contagious variant called Subclade K is not more severe. There’s just a lot more of it.
Channel 2’s Linda Stouffer asked local doctors what to do next if you think it’s hitting in your house and how quick action can help get you on the road to recovery.
With coughing and fever, how do you know if it’s a cold, flu or another virus?
At-home combination kits test for flu and COVID-19 at the same time. They are FDA-approved for accuracy 90% and up.
Or go in for a lab confirmed test at a clinic or doctor’s office.
If it is flu, your doctor may be able to help with medication, but you have to catch it quickly.
“It’s a good idea to go and swab and get tested because you might be able to take an antiviral such as Tamiflu for influenza, as long as you start that quickly, usually within 48 hours of symptoms,” said Dr. Alok Patel, ABC News medical contributor
“There are antiviral drugs that are available by prescription to help with the duration of illness, to help decrease the duration of illness and also the severity of symptoms,” said Dr. Andi Shane, Medical Director of Hospital Epidemiology at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Shane adds, “Everybody six months of age and older should receive a flu vaccine.”
To feel better, doctors say start with hydration, rest and Motrin or Tylenol to control fever.
Dr Andrew Thornton, urgent care physician at Wellstar, also tells patients to add natural approaches, too.
“Adults can take zinc, around 50 to 75 milligrams a day, and you can get that over the counter,” Thornton said.
“There are natural options for cough, like honey. There are herbal teas that many patients use and even mix that with honey. Honey is actually safe in kids over age 1. And that is actually often just as effective as over-the-counter cough medicines,” Thornton added.
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