Record-Breaking Flu Season (NAPSA)—The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that can develop into mild to severe illnesses or even death—yet too many people don't realize how serious it can be. Flu Facts According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),influenza can send morethan 700,000 people Flu-related deathsin North Carolina have dramatically increased over October and can run through May. Flu the last three years. to the hospital each year. Flu season generallystarts as early as activity most commonly peaks in the United States between Decemberand Feb- ruary. The 2017-18 flu season was one of the worst in more than a decade,resulting ina “high-severity” classification that saw 19 consecutive weeks of record-breaking flu hospitalizations nationwide. In North Carolina alone, the number offlu-related deaths has jumped dramati- cally over thelastthree years.A total of 389 flu-related deaths were reported during the 2017-18 flu season, according to the Doctor’s Opinion “Tts clear that there is a need for health care professionals to make every effort to create environments where patientsfeel valued,believe theyare getting accesstothe best treatmentpossible and havefaith in the adviceof their providers, especially whenit comesto pre- ventingtheflu.” said Dr. Andrea Gelzer, senior vice president of medical affairs with AmeriHealth Caritas, a national North Carolina Department ofHealth and leader in Medicaid managed care and Human Services. That was nearly double other health care solutions for those the number ofdeaths in 2016-17 andsix mostin need. “When groupsof people times the number in 2015-16. What Can Be Done To avoid another hard-hitting season, health care professionals are encourag- ing people to getflu shots, though there is a concern that some groupsmight not take heed to the warning. According to the CDC, African Amer- icans nationwide were less likely to get a flu shot than white Americans due to concerns ofside effects andefficacy. The study foundthat only 41 percentofAfrican American adults received the flu shot comparedwith 47percentofwhite adults. A separate CDC report shows that the rate of Hispanic adultsis even lower —just 39 percent. chooseto forgogetting vaccinated,there is an increasedlikelihoodofhealth disparities that can cause serious and even fatal consequences” Dr.Gelzer believes health care pro- fessionals musthelp patients understand the benefits of getting a flu vaccination and work to ensure that any concerns and misperceptions are addressed. She stressed that having a primary care phy- sician who can provide accurate and helpful informationis essential. Learn More AmeriHealth Caritas is one of the nation’s leaders in health care solutions for those most in need.Forfurther information,visit www.amerihealthcaritas.com.
