Flu visits to the doctor rise in Kansas
TOPEKA (KSNT) — Cold season is here, and we aren't just talking about the weather. For the first time in two years, the percentage of office visits for possible influenza is the highest Kansas has seen.
Symptoms of influenza-like visits include body aches, fevers, runny nose, sore throat, cough and shortness of breath. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says 7% of clinic visits are for these symptoms. That's a sharp increase from last year, which was only at 3.5%.
27 News spoke with family physician Courtney Huhn to find ways to keep your community healthy.
"You know some of the main things are I think a lot of people might think it might be too late to get their vaccines for flu or COVID-19 for this year," Huhn said. "And you're thinking about it now that you're seeing that the community rates are so high and you want to still be able to do things like normal, it's okay to go and go ahead and get those now. "
Huhn also says you can wash your hands for 20 seconds and use hand sanitizer, as well as decrease your exposure to others by staying in or wearing a mask.
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