What's Going Around: Flu Season

Although the seasonal flu outbreak is diminishing, and there were no deaths in Oklahoma during the past week due to the flu, there were still an additional 15 people hospitalized as a result of the illness.

To date, 53 people have died from complications of the flu and there have been just over 1,200 hospitalizations. Doctors and nurses from the Muscogee Creek Nation Department of Health say not to let your guard down, because even though it's March, the flu season isn't over just yet.

Dr. Kathryn Zackery at the Sapulpa Indian Health Center said the flu can last two to three weeks and starts forcefully, with symptoms of extreme fatigue, a sudden onset of a fever, muscle aches and periods of chills and sweats as the fever comes and goes.

You may also have a stuffy or runny nose, headache, and sore throat.

Besides rest, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, antihistamines and or decongestants can help with the symptoms. If you have the flu stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone.

According to the annual Flu Season Survey from Staples, nearly 90-percent of office workers admitted coming to work when sick with the flu, and most will only stay at home three days because they did not want to fall behind on their work.

However the survey results show productivity drops to under 60-percent of normal when sick.