Local indicators say flu season is hanging on tight

One of the surest indicators that flu season is still hanging on is thermometer sales, and with Columbus Public Health tracking a 26 percent increase in thermometer sales this week from the previous one, it looks like flu season has taken hold.

Even though spring has officially begun, that lingering sickness that’s been keeping so many Columbus residents down has not yet gone away.

So don’t worry if you’ve had to take a day off from work to sleep through the afternoon–you’re not the only one.

Public health officials say the flu vaccine was a good match for the viruses this time around, which means that fewer people got sick or hospitalized.

Only 150 people have been hospitalized due to flu-related symptoms in Franklin county this year, compared to over 1,000 hospitalizations by the time last year’s flu season ended in May.

So, while we still might have a few weeks left, authorities say it’s unlikely we’ll see huge spikes in sicknesses this late into flu season.

As always, keep your hands washed, live healthily and do your best to stop the flu before it starts!

3/9/16: Something’s going around: Flu season hits Ohio

For the past month it’s seemed like coughs and sneezes have been commonplace just about everywhere you look, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you’re not the only one who’s feeling this way.

With about 200 hospitalizations for flu symptoms, flu season has finally hit Ohio.

Fortunately, this number is much lower compared to last year’s 8,000 flu hospitalizations, which officials say resulted from a flu vaccine that was a poor match for the virus.

Remember to wash your hands thoroughly this time of year and take preventative measures to stop the flu before it starts. Stay healthy out there!

(Editor’s note: As someone who’s still feeling the after-effects of the virus, I can tell you, it’s not pretty)

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