Flu numbers are climbing. Here’s what you can do

Emily Linnert
·1 min read

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — After a week of gathering and giving thanks, doctors says they’re already seeing flu numbers climb.

“We sort of like to target October, November, December, January, February, March. Why? Because that’s when people tend to be inside. And when you’re inside, that’s when it’s easier to spread germs from person to person,” said Dr. James Grant, senior vice president and chief medical officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

Grant said the flu spreads through the air in tiny droplets invisible to the eye.

“When someone coughs, sneezes or even just talks to you, they can actually spread the disease from their mouth to your lungs,” he said.

He told News 8 the incubation period is anywhere from three to five days.

“Unfortunately, it’s not that they’re being inconsiderate,” he said. “They don’t know that they’ve got it themselves sometimes. They haven’t gotten those first symptoms yet. And at times, that’s the most contagious period.”

Grant suggested the following preventative measures:

  • Get vaccinated

  • Limit close contact with others

  • Cover coughs and sneezes

  • Practice good hand hygiene

  • Stay home if experiencing flu-like symptoms

  • Wear a mask

  • Avoid touching the face, including eyes, nose, mouth and ears

  • Clean and disinfect surfaces often

“COVID has helped us get more compulsive about washing our hands, potentially wearing a mask, especially if we know we’re sick,” Grant said.

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