“We’re certainly seen widespread flu across the country, including Michigan,” Marquette County Health Department Medical Director Dr. Teresa Frankovich said.

However, it remains to be seen if this is the peak of the flu season, or if the peak is still yet to come, Frankovich said.

“We’re certainly seeing a lot of flu activity and we have been for the last few weeks,” she said. “But until we get a little bit further out it’s hard to know if we’re at the peak or we’re still going to see it increasing.”

Nationwide, around 5.1 percent of outpatient visits were due to influenza-like illness — as opposed to the national baseline of about 2.2 percent — for the week ending Feb. 16, which is the highest reported this flu season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A syringe, vials of vaccine and medications are pictured. (Image courtesy of Pixabay)

In Michigan, the proportion of visits due to influenza-like illness is about 2.3 percent, up from a regional baseline of 1.8 percent but down from the highest reported percentage of around 2.6 percent in the first week of February.

In the north region of Michigan, which includes the northern Lower Peninsula and all of the Upper Peninsula, influenza A was reported to be “slightly elevated” for the week ending Feb. 16, while influenza B was reported to be low during that time period, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

“In general, the circulating strain predominantly has been A throughout much of the season so far,” Frankovich said.

While influenza A is “outpacing influenza B by 20 to 1” this year, Frankovich said influenza B can sometimes “emerge as more of an issue later in the season.”

Within the category of influenza A, the H1N1 strain has been the predominant strain that has been found in Michigan, Frankovich said.

Fortunately, the flu vaccine this year is “a pretty good match with the circulating strains,” Frankovich said.

Despite the different names, the symptoms of influenzas A and B are the same — fever, headache, body ache, congestion, cough are all fairly typical, Frankovich said — and the flu vaccine confers protection against both types.

With the vaccine being a good match and there being some time remaining in the flu season, Frankovich encourages those who have not yet received a flu vaccine to do so, as there’s still time for it to protect a person for the remainder of the season.

“We know that flu can circulate into the spring months and it only takes a couple of weeks after vaccination to be protected; it’s still worth doing,” she said.

It’s especially important because this year’s flu season has already claimed lives, Frankovich said, as nationally, there have been 34 pediatric deaths related to influenza this year, one of which was in Michigan.

“Flu can have devastating consequences and people should be vaccinated,” Frankovich said of the flu-related pediatric deaths.

Vaccination is important for individual health, as well as the health of a community as a whole, Frankovich emphasized.

“One of the reasons that we advocate for vaccination is it not only protects the person vaccinated but it protects people in the community around them, some of who are more vulnerable to more severe complications,” Frankovich said.

Beyond vaccination, there are several other things that individuals can do to stop the spread of the flu, she said, such as making sure to stay home when you’re ill, covering your mouth when you cough and frequently washing your hands, especially before eating.

For those who do develop flu-like symptoms and are in high-risk groups, such as those who are very old, very young, immune-compromised or have respiratory conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, or COPD, an antiviral medication may be beneficial.

“Not everyone needs to take antiviral medication when they get the flu, but for some people it’s important, particularly those who are at high risk of complications,” Frankovich said, noting it’s important for these populations to talk to their doctors early about antiviral medication if they suspect they have the flu.

While the antiviral is most effective if used within the first few days, it can still be used passed that window, Frankovich said.

“The earlier the better, for some people with significant health concerns, sometimes the provider will try the antiviral medication if you’ve been sick a bit longer, we just know that it works better in the first few days.”

Overall, Frankovich emphasized that it’s important to talk to your health care provider if you have concerns about the severity of your symptoms, as a health care professional can make informed recommendations for care based on a person’s clinical situation.