Flu contributing to BRMC’s high census

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When the year 2017 closed, Arkansas was reporting widespread influenza activity to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as a high intensity of influenza like illness. During the final week of the year, 70 of the state’s 75 counties reported influenza cases, with 15 reporting the majority, including Stone County in North Central Arkansas.

The Arkansas Department of Health notes in its Influenza Weekly Report the agency receives reports of only a fraction of flu cases. Therefore, the report notes it is important to understand the information in the weekly update is representative of the timing and location of activity, but it does not reflect the overall burden of disease. It is presumed there are many more people actually affected than the report shows.

While Baxter County was not among the top counties reporting the flu in the final week of 2017, cases are being treated here and are a contributing factor to what has been a capacity census at Baxter Regional Medical Center.

Stephanie Free, BRMC’s Infection Preventionist, says while flu cases are a contributing factor to the higher census compared to this time a year ago, there are other reasons the 269 licensed bed facility has been full.


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Free says hospital caregivers are seeing an uptick in flu cases, and it appears we are now in the peak of the season. She says there are common symptoms to help identify the flu.


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To help prevent the flu, Free offers these tips.


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Free says once flu shots are administered, it takes about two weeks to build immunity to the vaccine. She says while there has been some question about the effectiveness of this year’s vaccine, healthcare workers know from past seasons the impact is less for those who have received a shot and get the flu.

As students return to the classroom after the holiday break, Free has these recommendations.


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Free says the flu is impacting all ages, from tiny babies to the elderly.

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