January 19, 2018
For immediate release: January 19, 2018
Contact: Julie Graham, Strategic Communications Office, 360-810-1628
Across Washington, flu taking a toll on people and medical facilities
What: State health officials issue recommendations for when and where to get medical care.
Why: Flu illness is widespread across the state and many health care facilities report full waiting rooms and a high demand for treatment of flu and other currently circulating illnesses. To help ease the crowding at medical facilities, state health officials want the public to know when and where to seek medical care, and to be on the lookout for warning signs of a potentially life-threatening situation.
Recommendations:
Unless they require immediate medical attention, people who have symptoms of flu should contact their doctor before going to a hospital emergency room.
The emergency room should be used for people who are very sick. You should not go to the emergency room if you are only mildly ill. If you have the emergency warning signs of flu sickness (below), you should go to the emergency room.
In most cases, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people except to get medical care. Most people with the flu have mild or moderate illness and do not need medical care or antiviral drugs.
People who are at higher risk of flu complications should call their health care provider for advice if they get symptoms of the flu.
These groups include:
There are some danger/warning signs that should prompt immediate medical care.
In children:
In addition to the signs above, get medical help right away if an infant has any of these signs:
In adults:
Recommendations for people who don’t have symptoms of flu:
Typical symptoms of flu illness include:
* It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.
The Department of Health has a weekly report of influenza activity posted during the flu season. The department’s website is your source for a healthy dose of information. Also, find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.