Flu Season is Coming

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Flu season is slowly but surely arriving and the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department wants the community to be prepared.

The common time for cold and flu season is throughout the winter months and it is difficult to predict. The Medical Director at the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department, Dr. Jack Butterfield, said there has been one case of influenza in Licking County reported to the Ohio Department of Health so far and three in Muskingum County.

“The most important thing for everyone to do, 6 months of age and up, is a flu vaccine. The second most important thing is a flu vaccine. The third most important thing is a flu vaccine. I can’t emphasize that enough,” Dr. Butterfield said.

Other than getting the flu shot Dr. Jack Butterfield said to use the general principles of good hygiene, wash your hands, cough into a tissue or elbow and stay home if you are sick. With these recent reports of illnesses at the Licking Valley Schools, he doesn’t think that it is an epidemic.

“Well just remind people the symptoms of the flu include muscle aches, fever, a dry cough, a sore throat, a general body aching, headache, chills,” Dr. Butterfield said.

If you have these symptoms, Dr. Butterfield recommends giving it a few days to get better but if it stays the same or gets worse, go see a doctor. He says you should stay home if you have a fever or aching and feel you can’t accomplish the job.

To find more information head to the Zanesville-Muskingum Health Department website or the Ohio Department of Health website.