Valley flu numbers down thanks to community COVID precautions

Perhaps one of the few positives to come out of the pandemic — our local hospitals say flu numbers have been down this season.

“We’ve had very flu cases," said Euthym Kontaxis, Medical Director, Tennity Emergency Department Eisenhower Health.

“We have only had three flu patients this whole season," said Christine Langenwalter, Chief Quality Officer, Desert Regional Medical Center.

Our local hospitals say it’s all thanks to the extra COVID precautions taken by the community.

“Staying home if they’re sick, masking, the hand washing," said Langenwalter.

“The lack of travel internationally. I also think schools being closed...that’s a big transmitter of flu," added Kontaxis.

Some precautions and practices are even encouraged post-pandemic: “If we do vaccinate and take precautions...good hand washing, if you’re sick you stay home...if we do that, we will see much better outcomes and less mortality and morbidity from flu," he said.

Flu season typically lasts from late fall to mid spring. But health experts say if you haven’t received your flu shot yet, you still should.

“I think it’s important that season after season we continue to keep our flu immunities up at a certain level. If they’re choosing not to get their vaccine this year because they’re hearing it’s not so bad, then their base immunity they’ve been developing by getting the vaccine every year...it’s not going to be there next year," explained Langenwalter.

Langenwalter added patients should just make sure to space their flu and COVID-19 vaccine appointments at least two weeks apart.