Is Influenza going around where you live?

[Deleted]

It is here in the Midwest, bigtime. I even live in a part of the state that's making headlines it's so bad. Something like 1 in 7 people have had it already.

Tonight my daycare lady called. Rubes goes 2 days a week and it happens to be Thurs. Fri. this week. She wanted me to warn me she had a family test positive for the flu and nobody on Monday and Tuesday because all the kids were literally sick. She said she took that time to Clorox and everyone back is healthy, but it was up to me as to whether or not I send Rubes as a precaution.

I'd keep her home, but it's a tough strain on H and my MIL since we're E. student less. I also work in a school. I feel like we get it at daycare or we get it from me. Either way we're probably in trouble. Also, Rubes hasn't been sick and daycare is spotless with now healthy kids..so we might be good.

Let's hope!

[RoxMonster]

Don't know which midwest state you live in, but here in IL, they've reported something like 18 kids have died with the flu. Kind of scary. I got my shot in Oct. (I teach and am around kids all day), and so far ::knock on wood:: haven't gotten sick, though many kids have been out sick. H just got the flu shot this past weekend.

[OG Jo]

YES - out of control wild here in Texas - and also with my co-workers in MN.

[kaylie]

I don't think it's the flu, but H is on his fourth cough in three months. It's crazy - he's never been sick like this before. I've only caught one of the bugs, but I work at a school so I have an immune system of steel.

[panicked]

According to the map, I'm in a moderately high flu area right now.

[pitterwoo]

we haven't gotten anything yet in our house. I know 1 friend who had it over Christmas and is still recovering.

I declined the flu shot this year, but hopefully we stay healthy.

[tarheels]

The flu hit my state back in October, so I've been hearing alarm bells for a while now. But miraculously, I haven't known a single person who's gotten it. I normally never get a flu shot bc it doesn't match and I don't see the point in that situation (why can we not do better about that in 2012?), but I'm going Friday to get one since they say it's a near-perfect match this year.

[finally]

I'm in a High occurance state but do not know anyone or have heard of anyone with it. Even among my extended friends & family on Facebook, I don't know anyone. I'm hearing more about the norovirus among friends and family.

I didn't get the vaccine even though I work for a hospital group (in corp office) and it was pushed big time. I've never gotten the vaccine and never had the flu before and am generally very healthy so I'm hoping to avoid again and am washing my hands like crazy.

I bet I just jinxed myself.

[mrs.jacinthe]

We are "localized" which is nice. Since I spend my days quarantined at home, except for the gym, I don't know anyone personally who's gotten it.

[315bride]

I have a lot of students who are out sick. It's tough because we're just finishing up our semester. I think I've had more students out sick this year than any other year.

[stephm0188]

We're in a state that's been hit hard, but thankfully, we haven't been affected.

We all had the flu two years ago and it was awful. I don't want it again.

[bunnymendelbaum]

I'm not sure what I had. It was all respiratory but it was awful!
My mom in Ohio and bookkeeper in NYC have it now.
We've all said the same thing, we've never felt that bad (tired, lethargic, achy, etc.) with a respiratory 'flu' before.
You have it intense for over a week and it takes a month to go away. Awful.

Hope everyone stays well!

[auntie]

Jan 9, 2013 20:26:31 GMT -5 kaylie said:

I don't think it's the flu, but H is on his fourth cough in three months. It's crazy - he's never been sick like this before. I've only caught one of the bugs, but I work at a school so I have an immune system of steel.

DH, DS and I have all had hellacious colds this winter- the kind that make you take to your bed with a box of tissues and a 5th of Jack Daniels.

I have a friend who is a pediatric RN, she's seeing lots of flu, bad colds, norovirus and RSV.

[sierramist03]

Yep it hit hard here about 3 weeks ago- at least that's when we started seeing positive results in the lab. The past week we have been doing close to 30 flu test a 8 hour shift. With about 1 in 4 positive I'd say. The staff at our hospital were require to get the flu shot.
Instead of the flu we all go a lovely stomach virus around Christmas

[sjh722]

Yes. I know several people who've had it and the rn at our childbirth class tonight was saying that 7 people, including an infant, have already died in our state.

They had us tour l&d tonight instead of next week - they said they're surprised it hasn't already been closed to unnecessary visitors with how bad the flu has been.

[sjh722]

Also, ERs around here have been on bypass due to high volume of influenza patients.

[statlerwaldorf]

I live in Ohio and all three of us had it. We got sick right after Christmas. It spread throughout dh's work.

[boiler717]

Lots of people in IN have it. I am a flu shot nazi and religiously remind everyone in the family to get it starting in late Sept so no one my family has gotten sick yet thankfully.

[SusanBAnthony]

We thought dd had it (fever, chills, some respiratory junk, aches and pains, etc) but her fu test was neg. she has some flu like virus, though, which luckily she did not give to anyone else! But yes, it is bad here. 2 of 6 kids were at preschool yesterday. Yikes.

[emjacobs]

Yup it's horrible, several of the city hospitals are on bypass because they've reached capacity

[magdala9]

700 confirmed cases in Boston and its a public health emergency.

www.boston.com/dailydose/2013/01/09/boston-hospitals-and-nursing-homes-implement-stricter-measures-against-the-flu/RK4iOR0EWN84klun02uc7H/story.html

[ssmjlm]

I got a flue shot at the doctor's, so I'm hoping I avoid it. Coworkers came into work sick before the holidays, so I had a horrible head cold the weekend before Christmas.

DH didn't get the flu, but he ended up with strep, ear infection, and viral pink eye this past weekend which started out as just a cold. I was just glad to be OOT b/c otherwise I would have been camping at my parents condo away from the germs.

[wawa]

So far it hasn't seemed to hit my immediate circle too badly, though the reports out of boston are scary. That nasty stomach bug has been making the rounds, but I've avoided it.

I got the shot at the very very beginning of flu season, and I nagged MH until he got one too. I'm hoping we're scott-free, but I'm nervous about it still being on the tail end of the season when i birth this baby.

[demandypants]

We are in an area with high occurance of the flu this year, but both my daughter and I were vaccinated. My H is a stubborn man and afraid of needles and didn't get one. He best not bring it home. There will be little sympathy from me

[Deleted]

Yes, it is out of control. I haven't had a flu shot in years but I am considering getting it this year.

[tarheels]

Jan 9, 2013 23:22:54 GMT -5 @crackhabit said:

Ugh. Yes.
I might or might not have the flu now.
I can't tell the difference between a flu and a cold.
What i do know is I feel horrid.

If you don't know, you don't have it. There's no mistaking the flu - it makes you feel like you're dying. Really. That's why it's a hospital thing - sane people don't go to the ER for a bad cold.

[Deleted]

Yes, I'm in CO. My sister had in before Christmas (works in a hospital & had the shot). My girls got it after christmas & didn't have the shot. I got it a few days after them (I had the flu shot). DH is sick now. Seems the flu shot saved me from the fever aspect of it but I had everything else worse/longer than my girls. I was sick a solid week.

[Deleted]

Icky. Icky. I hope we all stay healthy. I just got an email form my pedis office stating unless child has a high fever, dehydration or is wheezing to let them ride it out with tylenol. Apparently his office is overrun and there is not a lot he can do to fix it anyways. Bringing a child in is just going to expose them to more crud.

Rubes has a Well visit next week, I might push it back until this passes.

[emjacobs]

From what I've heard and witnessed it doesn't really matter this year if you had the flu shot or not. My coworker and 3 of her kids all had the flu shot and have all gotten the flu. My aunt works at the pharmacy at the hospital and she says that the flu that is going around is a mutated strain that isn't covered by the flu shot, or doesn't care about the flu shot (I'm not 100% sure how that works).

So don't assume you are in the clear because you got the flu shot, take some extra vitamin c, sanitize after being in public places, etc.

[Deleted]

I'm in GA. I haven't run across or heard of anybody who has had it. I did get a flu shot very early so hopefully that will prevent me from getting it. I have asthma so my pulmonoligist is pretty insistent that I get one every year.

It's scary how bad it is this year. Kids and elderly people dying from it. But leave it up to FB to make a funny out of it. www.nydailynews.com/flu-new-app-shows-gave-article-1.1234805 I eye-roll because I don't care for FB in general.