Flu activity is widespread and severe across Georgia, with health officials warning that cases are expected to rise following the holiday season as residents return to work and school. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is also projecting a severe flu season nationwide.
The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is strongly urging residents who have not yet received a flu vaccine — and who do not have medical conditions preventing vaccination — to get a flu shot as soon as possible. Health officials emphasize that vaccination remains the most effective way to reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death related to influenza.
The CDC recommends that everyone six months of age and older receive a flu vaccine each year. In addition to personal protection, vaccination helps safeguard vulnerable populations, including older adults and those with weakened immune systems. Antibodies that provide protection against the flu typically take about two weeks to develop after vaccination.
Flu vaccines are widely available at local health departments, doctors’ offices, grocery stores, pharmacies, and neighborhood clinics throughout the state.
Flu symptoms can vary in severity and may include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, chills, and fatigue. Certain groups face a higher risk of developing serious complications, including adults 65 and older, young children — particularly those under age 2 — pregnant women, and individuals with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease.
In some cases, healthcare providers may prescribe antiviral medications to treat influenza. These prescription drugs are most effective when taken within 48 hours of symptom onset.
Health officials also recommend several preventative measures to help slow the spread of the flu. These include frequent handwashing with soap and warm water, covering coughs and sneezes with the elbow or arm, avoiding touching the face, and staying home when sick. Individuals with the flu should remain fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication before returning to work or school. Caregivers are advised to limit a sick person’s contact with others in the household whenever possible.
More information about influenza prevention is available at dph.ga.gov/flu. Weekly updates on flu activity in Georgia can be found at dph.georgia.gov/flu-activity-georgia, with reports updated each Friday.