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7 nutritious foods to help you combat flu season
Although being bed-bound may make you feel too lazy to cook a meal in the kitchen, nutritious foods are the quickest way to get back on your feet.
unbranded – Lifestyle
Coughs, sneezes, runny noses, sore throats, sinus infections.
Doctors in Rhode Island are seeing more patients with those symptoms, and the situation isn’t likely to improve with the holidays and flu season on the way, but doctors say there are steps Rhode Islanders can take to prevent illnesses such as colds, the flu and COVID-19 and keep those around them safe, too.
“We’re definitely seeing a little uptick in respiratory infections,” said Dr. Olivier Gherardi, medical director for Brown University Health Urgent Care, which has four locations in Rhode Island. Doctors have been seeing a lot of patients with colds but also strep throat, according to Gherardi.
Dr. Stephanie Krusz says she’s seeing “a lot of colds” and has started to see more flu cases in recent weeks. She saw a lot of COVID cases in September but said “it’s leveled off the for the moment.” Krusz practices at South County Medical Group Primary Care’s Warwick office. She is also medical director at The Cedars, a nursing home in Cranston.
Increased flu activity in RI
“Yes, we are in respiratory virus season now,” said Joseph Wendelken, public information officer for the Rhode Island Department of Health. The health department’s “current surveillance shows that the common cold viruses are back, in full force. We have also started to see some increased flu activity in Rhode Island.”
Unfortunately, it’s likely to get worse as the weather cools down, people spend more time indoors and gather for the holidays. Gherardi ties the uptick in cases to the start of the school year. He suggests it might be worse if not for the unseasonably warm weather.
Holiday gatherings likely to spread illnesses
The flu season usually begins in earnest in December, right between Thanksgiving and Christmas, he noted. He hasn’t seen much COVID recently but says that could change.
“I think we’re a little more concerned about the holidays,” Gherardi said.
“Everyone is going to get a cold from time to time,” Wendelken said, but he, Gherardi and Krusz noted that people can take steps to support their immune systems and ward off illness. It’s also important to keep from spreading sicknesses, since illnesses like the flu, RSV and COVID can be especially serious for some people.
What if you can’t afford vaccinations?
The health department says people who haven’t already gotten a flu shot should get it now, since it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against influenza infection, Wendelken noted.
“If people cannot afford flu shots or have insurance issues, we can connect them to free vaccination,” Wendelken said. More information is available at (401) 222-5960.
“Our COVID-19 and RSV rates have been a little more stable,” Wendelken said. “Though with holiday gatherings coming up, vaccination against these viruses may be just as important. Doctors recommended that everyone age six months and older get a 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccination.”
Which groups are more at risk from respiratory infections?
Protection against RSV is available, too, according to Wendelken. RSV usually causes minor, cold-like symptoms, and most people recover within two weeks, but it can be more problematic for some groups, Wendelken said.
For example, he said, premature infants are at higher risk, as are children younger than 2 with chronic lung disease or congenital heart disease, children with weakened immune systems, and children who have neuromuscular disorders.
Some adults are also at higher risk, including people age 65 and older, adults with chronic heart or lung disease, and adults with weakened immune systems, Wendelken said.
“There is RSV vaccination for women during pregnancy as well as a prevention treatment for babies that are at risk for hospitalization or severe illness with RSV,” Wendelken said. “In addition, there is an RSV vaccine that can help protect adults age 60 years and older. Talk to your health care professional to learn more.”
Good health starts with good habits
Self-care, good habits and good hygiene can also protect people from illness.
“Handwashing is always the first step,” Gherardi said. “People should wash their hands before and after meals, he said.
Don’t share dishes or utensils, Gherardi added.
And while it might be tempting to treat illness with an alcoholic drink, especially around the holidays, that’s not a good idea.
“Alcohol puts a damper on your immune system,” Wendelken said. “It can dehydrate you and makes symptoms like congestion even worse. Additionally, it may create a dangerous mix with any medications you are taking.”
Krusz said, “Sleep, exercise, drink plenty of water, eat well and definitely get your flu shot. Don’t get run down. That’s when you’re going to get sick.”
If you do get sick, stay home, Krusz and Gherardi say.
“You don’t know who else you could get sick,” Gherardi said.
The importance of staying vigilant won’t go away with the holidays.
“We are in respiratory virus season now,” Wendelken said, and it won’t end until early spring.
The state health department offers additional data, information and prevention recommendations at health.ri.gov/respiratoryviruses.
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