Feeling sick after Christmas? Flu is spiking in Central Florida

If you’re one of the thousands in Central Florida who have come down with fevers, aches, coughs and headaches over the past few weeks, there’s a good chance it’s the flu.

Orange is one of six Florida counties experiencing an outbreak as emergency department visits soar statewide, according to state health department data. About 1,800 Floridians tested positive last week at AdventHealth CentraCare’s Central Florida network of urgent care centers, surpassing last year’s record for weekly cases, and the worst of Florida’s flu season may not be over, said Dr. Tim Hendrix, medical director for AdventHealth Centra Care.

“This is turning out to be worse than last year. And last year was the worst flu season I have seen in my history at CentraCare,” said Hendrix, who has worked for the urgent care network for over 20 years. “I was in the clinic last week and it was just flu, flu, flu.”

A combination of low vaccination rates, low immunity and active travel schedules may all be contributing to this year’s outbreak, said Jill Roberts, an associate professor at the University of South Florida College of Public Health.

“People vastly, vastly underestimate how dangerous flu is, and then you add to that the fallout of the vaccine hesitancy that came from COVID,” Roberts said.

Though most people with the flu recover within a few days to two weeks, some experience serious, life-threatening complications. Anyone can have a flu bout turn severe, but pregnant women, people over the age of 65, and children under 5 are at heightened risk, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Emergency warning signs include persistent chest or abdomen pain or pressure, a lack of urination, fever or cough that improves but then returns or worsens, severe muscle pain, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, according to the CDC. Any fever in a child under 12 weeks old warrants emergency attention.

Six kids have died of the flu in Florida this season. Three of them had an underlying medical condition that put them at higher risk, and three of them didn’t. None were vaccinated, according to the Florida Department of Health.

“Nearly every time there’s a pediatric death from influenza, the child is not vaccinated,” Roberts said.

About 31% of Florida kids 6 months to 18 years are vaccinated as of Dec. 9 compared to 43% nationally. Adult vaccination rates are only slightly better: 36% of Florida adults have been vaccinated compared to 42% nationwide, according to CDC data.

Of course, some people may get the shot and get sick anyway. Vaccination is not a guarantee that someone won’t catch the virus, but it will typically make the virus less severe.

“It’s a little bit late in the season, but it’s never too late to get vaccinated,” Roberts said.

Most adults need just one flu shot, which takes up to 2 weeks to take complete effect. Children aged 6 months to 8 years typically need two doses of flu vaccine administered at least four weeks apart during their first season of vaccination, according to the CDC.

Flu season typically continues long after the holidays are over in Florida. A peak often occurs in January or February.

For those who are about to pile into packed airports, paper masks also provide great protection against viruses like the flu, Roberts said.

Travelers also need to stay wary of other viruses. COVID-19 is seeing a small increase in Central Florida hospitals, though rates remain low according to the CDC. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases, which spiked in Florida in November, have died down.

Ccatherman@orlandosentinel.com; @CECatherman Twitter