The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has announced the first pediatric flu-related death of the season.Dr. Linda Bell, the state epidemiologist and DHEC’s director of the Bureau of Communicable Disease Prevention and Control, said the child in the Upstate region died from complications of the flu.“We’ve seen widespread flu activity across the state over the past several weeks, with an increase in both flu cases and hospitalizations. It’s critical that South Carolinians act now to get their flu shots as well as updated vaccines for respiratory illnesses, including COVID and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV,” Bell said. With many people planning to attend holiday gatherings in the coming weeks, Bell reminds people to get vaccinated and practice healthy habits. While the flu can circulate any time of year, for surveillance purposes, the season begins Oct. 1, according to DHEC. DHEC said the best protection against the illness is the flu shot. DHEC and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that everyone 6 months of age and older who is eligible get vaccinated. It takes about two weeks for the body to build up protection after getting the flu vaccine, so it’s important to get vaccinated soon to prevent more illnesses since the flu has already spread widely in South Carolina and other states, DHEC said. The active flu season coincides with ongoing COVID-19 cases and an elevated number of RSV cases. The same preventive methods that protect against COVID-19 also protect against the flu virus: vaccination, masks, frequent handwashing, and staying home or away from others while sick, according to DHEC.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has announced the first pediatric flu-related death of the season.
Dr. Linda Bell, the state epidemiologist and DHEC’s director of the Bureau of Communicable Disease Prevention and Control, said the child in the Upstate region died from complications of the flu.
“We’ve seen widespread flu activity across the state over the past several weeks, with an increase in both flu cases and hospitalizations. It’s critical that South Carolinians act now to get their flu shots as well as updated vaccines for respiratory illnesses, including COVID and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV,” Bell said.
With many people planning to attend holiday gatherings in the coming weeks, Bell reminds people to get vaccinated and practice healthy habits.
While the flu can circulate any time of year, for surveillance purposes, the season begins Oct. 1, according to DHEC.
DHEC said the best protection against the illness is the flu shot.
DHEC and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that everyone 6 months of age and older who is eligible get vaccinated. It takes about two weeks for the body to build up protection after getting the flu vaccine, so it’s important to get vaccinated soon to prevent more illnesses since the flu has already spread widely in South Carolina and other states, DHEC said.
The active flu season coincides with ongoing COVID-19 cases and an elevated number of RSV cases. The same preventive methods that protect against COVID-19 also protect against the flu virus: vaccination, masks, frequent handwashing, and staying home or away from others while sick, according to DHEC.
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December 13, 2023 at 06:15AM
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Upstate child dies from flu complications, DHEC says - WYFF4 Greenville
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