Doctors warn of rough flu season ahead, urge people to get flu vaccine

ATLANTA — Health officials are urging people to get the flu vaccine as the numbers of cases here are sharply rising and could surge over the winter.

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Channel 2′s Tom Regan was in Cobb County Wednesday, where health officials said flu cases are getting an earlier start than usual.

Both public and private clinics are hoping to see more people come in to get their flu shots as flu hospitalizations rise with adult and children’s illnesses.

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Dr. Alexander Millman, the chief medical officer at the Georgia Department of Public Health, said they are definitely seeing cases start to rise, with no sign of letting up.

“We are seeing more people come in with influenza-like illness in outpatients, and more people testing positive for influenza as they are getting tested,” Millman said.

Millman said the possible reasons for the surge are that few people are masking anymore, mass gatherings are back and many people may be choosing not to get a flu shot because of COVID-19 vaccine fatigue.

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“People are gathering more, people are interacting more than they have. Travel has resumed,” Millman said. “All these things can cause respiratory virus such as influenza to spread.”

Since October of last year, the Health Department has reported 31 flu-related deaths and more than 500 metro Atlanta hospitalizations.

The Southern Hemisphere just wrapped up its influenza season, and what happened doesn’t bode well for the U.S. this winter.

“They actually had one of the worst seasons that they had since the COVID-19 pandemic began,” Millman said.

State and local health officials are urging individuals as young as 6 months to get vaccinated against flu.

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