Delaware hopes new flu test monitoring program gives better picture of virus

Public well being officers in Delaware will begin accumulating information from speedy flu assessments this yr, in anticipation of what may very well be a nasty flu season throughout the nation.

The U.S. typically seems to be to Australia and the southern hemisphere to see what the flu season right here may very well be like, and this yr Australia had one of many worst flu seasons lately. It’s exhausting for public well being officers to get an correct rely of flu circumstances, as a result of folks will typically keep dwelling and deal with the signs reasonably than go to a clinic or a hospital the place they could get examined for the flu.

The final flu season was uncommon. Sometimes, circumstances die down by round March. Final yr, flu exercise within the U.S. elevated early within the yr and stayed excessive till June, with two distinct waves.

Earlier this yr, Westside Household Healthcare, which has 5 medical places of work in Delaware, began doing speedy flu assessments for sufferers who present up with flu signs, mentioned Megan Werner, affiliate medical director of inhabitants well being and high quality. They did that to allow them to inform if a affected person has the flu, COVID-19, or another virus like respiratory syncytial virus. They swab a affected person’s nostril rapidly on either side for a number of seconds, then run the pattern in an analyzer that may take a look at for flu and COVID-19 inside quarter-hour. That method, medical workers can deal with a affected person with drugs that’s particular to flu or COVID-19 when applicable.

Beforehand, well being officers acquired flu information from sufferers who get lab assessments for the flu as a result of they find yourself within the hospital. These lab assessments take longer, however are extra delicate. This week, the Delaware Division of Public Well being began a program to gather information from clinics, like Westside Household Healthcare, that do speedy flu assessments on sufferers.

This is able to assist officers maintain monitor of much less extreme flu circumstances that will not have been recorded prior to now, mentioned Camille Moreno, an epidemiologist on the Delaware Division of Public Well being.

“We’re hoping that this yr we’ll have a greater understanding (of) the burden of influenza in the neighborhood.”