Health Alert: The Flu is Now Prevalent in Tompkins County
Published on January 10, 2025
Tompkins County Whole Health (TCWH) is alerting the community to a recent increase in the number of people becoming ill from the flu (influenza).
Cases are on the rise nationally as well as locally. During the week of December 21, 2024, reported flu cases increased to 70 in Tompkins County, whereas the previous week, there were only 6 cases reported. An additional 67 new positive cases were reported during the week of December 28, 2024. Learn more about current disease activity on the TCWH Respiratory Illnesses webpage, Respiratory Illnesses.
Influenza, or the flu, can cause mild to severe illness, with symptoms commonly including fever or feeling feverish/having chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue (tiredness), and vomiting and diarrhea. Flu viruses are highly contagious, spread mainly by tiny droplets from coughing, sneezing, or talking.
Vaccination is the best protection against the flu. It is proven to cut down on hospitalizations and death from the flu. Vaccination can prevent you from getting sick and spreading the flu to others.
Flu vaccine is available at many locations throughout our community, including healthcare provider offices, pharmacies, and clinics. A new flu vaccine is needed every year to provide protection against the flu virus, which changes each year. Getting this year’s vaccine for this year’s virus is best. For people aged 65 or over, the “high dose” flu vaccine has been shown to be most effective. If the “high dose” vaccine is not available, people in this age group should get a standard dose flu vaccine instead, so as not to delay their vaccination.
The flu vaccine is provided at TCWH’s Immunization Clinics. Please visit our website for qualification requirements and additional information about our clinics: Immunization & Vaccines.
TCWH’s Director of Community Health Services Rachel Buckwalter stated, “While it is best to get your flu vaccine in the fall, it is not too late to get the flu vaccine now. The vaccine is the single best way to prevent the flu. Everyone 6 months of age and older should get the flu vaccine every year. Children under 5 years, persons 65 years and older, people with certain chronic health conditions, and pregnant women and their babies are most at risk from the flu. If you have a highly vulnerable family member, co-worker, or friend you should get vaccinated to help protect them from illness.”
Tompkins County Whole Health: envisioning a future where every person in Tompkins County can achieve wellness. Find us online at: https://www.tompkinscountyny.gov/All-Departments/Whole-Health and follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/TompkinsWholeHealth and on Twitter at @TCWholeHealth. Sign up to receive Whole Health updates or other county announcements via email or text.
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