Flu cases are surging across Ohio, with young people particularly affected. The state's flu dashboard indicates high activity levels, prompting health professionals to stress the importance of preventive measures.
Tabathia Porter, enrollment coordinator at Blended Minds Learning Academy, is taking steps to ensure the safety and health of children under her care. "We have the equipment out there, so before you come inside, make sure that your hands are clean," she stated. The academy has placed reminders around the daycare to emphasize diligent handwashing among children.
This flu season has already resulted in over 9,000 hospitalizations in Ohio, surpassing the usual numbers for this period. Dr. Mia Antinone, a family medicine resident at OhioHealth, highlighted the risks faced by children: "Children are at very high risk of dehydration. When they're not feeling well, they don't feed well, they don't eat well." Dehydration often leads to hospitalization for affected children.
Dr. Antinone also underscored the significance of vaccinations this season. "The flu shot is not meant for you to not get the flu," she explained. "It's to protect you from getting hospitalized and having a really severe case of the flu."