COLUMBUS, Ind. — Local health officials are optimistic that the mild start to the flu season is a good omen heading into winter, though there’s no guarantee that it will stay that way as seasonal flu activity in Bartholomew County typically ramps up between December and March.
Currently, seasonal flu activity in the U.S. is “unusually low” and was “minimal” in Indiana as of the week ending Nov. 21, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Columbus Regional Hospital has not had any confirmed flu hospitalizations so far this season, the hospital said.
The milder-than-usual start to the flu season is believed to be related to people taking measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 and a higher number of people getting vaccinated, local health officials said.
Much like the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, influenza viruses are primarily transmitted via respiratory droplets made when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks, according to the CDC.
Precautions taken against COVID-19 — like wearing masks, avoiding crowds and keeping distance from people — will also help reduce the spread of the seasonal flu, health officials said.
Countries in the Southern Hemisphere like South Africa, Australia, Argentina and Chile — where flu activity peaks between April and September — diagnosed hardly any flu this year thanks to COVID-19 restrictions combined with a big push for influenza vaccinations, according to The Associated Press.
“I’m optimistic that flu activity will be lower this year due to mask wearing and physical distancing,” said Brian Niedbalski, Bartholomew County health officer. “It also appears that more people are getting flu vaccinations this year. That should help lower the number of cases as well.”
For more on this story, see Monday’s Republic.
