Flu Season Starting Early this Year

This year the fair brought games, fun and entertainment, with just one downfall.

The Zanesville-Muskingum County Health department has seen a spike in viral-related illness since fair week, but Medical Director, Dr. Vicki Whitacre said it’s not uncommon to see.

“We’ve noticed since the fair’s been over with, or the third week of August there’s been an increase in adults with cough, cold and congestion problems,” Whitacre said. “When you’re in crowds, people have more hand-touching, greeting each other, sneezing and coughing on each other, and you don’t wash your hands at the fair like you might at home, or if you were in a building that provides those kind of facilities.”

There have been two reported cases of the flu in Muskingum County this summer, that Dr. Whitacre said is unusual. With regular flu season right around the corner, she encourages persistent hand washing and always sneezing into the elbow, rather than hands.

“We want to make sure everybody remembers that they may want to get their flu shot this year, the feeling is from the experts that the flu shot will cover better this year than it did last year, and we are hoping for decreasing even more the amount of illness from the flu,” Whitacre said.

Dr. Whitacre recommends getting the flu shot early this year, as most strains of the vaccine last six to seven months before wearing off. The Health Department is holding a clinic in October for those interested.