Lakeland Regional Health sees COVID-19 and flu cases double over the holidays
LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA) — Dr. Tim Regan drove to work Tuesday mentally preparing himself for what he knew would be a busy day in the Lakeland Regional Health emergency room.
“Right after New Years and there’s a lot of respiratory illness in the community, people have now shaken off their holiday and are looking to feel better. So we do see a lot of traffic through the emergency department this time of year,” said Dr. Regan, the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer.
According to Dr. Regan, patients with COVID-19 and flu have doubled at Lakeland Regional Health, with those cases still making up less than 10% of total hospitalizations.
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Most COVID-19 infections now are causing cold-like symptoms, he said, which can be treated with ibuprofen and decongestants.
Patients are also coming in with RSV.
“You tend to talk about RSV in children, but elderly people and people who are at risk for illness are at risk for RSV as well and it can have bad outcomes,” he said.
Pamela Wood, who lives in Lakeland, said she had a persistent cough and her doctor tried everything to prevent her from getting RSV.
“Just had a head cold and normally I can shake them off and this time I didn’t, had a bad cough. Went to the doctor and he gave me an antibiotic and steroid shot and meds,” she said. “When you get 70 years old, you can’t shake this stuff off like you could when you were younger.”
Jo Hair, a snowbird who winters in Lakeland, said her family had a firsthand experience with severe respiratory illness.
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“We did have a child in the family up north that was hospitalized with RSV so it brings to light everybody should be paying attention, continue doing what you should be doing,” she said.
Luckily, that infant recovered.
Meanwhile, data from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention shows COVID-19 hospitalizations are “low” in all Florida counties except for Sarasota, Desoto and Charlotte counties, which are “medium.”
When it comes to influenza, according to the CDC as of Dec. 23, Florida is at a “high” level of cases, surrounded by states at a “very high” level.
“That is to be predicted this time of year, with influenza being very seasonal throughout central Florida. We’ve seen greater numbers of influenza which sort of correlates to years in the past,” said Dr. Jarett Gregory, an urgent care physician at Watson Clinic’s south campus.
He said it is the combination of cooler weather, people traveling and visiting with family over the holidays and snowbirds coming to Florida that leads to the spike in illness.
“We’ve certainly seen a higher number of acuity, higher number of cases, certainly quite a bit busier than we have been in the months previous,” said Dr. Gregory.
He said the timing of a doctor’s visit is an important factor when it comes to getting effective treatment.
“If a patient’s had cough, cold, fever or body aches for one to two days, they want to act more promptly rather than waiting. If they can be seen and evaluated over the next 24 to 48 hours treatment and be initiated and often make a big difference and help them to recover much more quickly,” said Dr. Gregory.
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