Flu activity in Georgia has reached very high levels this winter, according to physicians at Northside Hospital. Dr. Parissa Rabbinafard of Peachtree Dunwoody Medical Associates said, “Recent reporting is indicating very high activity levels in Georgia this year compared to last year’s season.” She noted that certain subtypes of the flu are spreading more quickly and may be driving the surge in cases.
Dr. Rabbinafard identified influenza A (H3N2) as the main cause of the increase in cases, with influenza B also circulating but at lower rates. She explained that influenza A spreads faster and often causes stronger symptoms than influenza B. “We see cases of the flu annually, but it seems there have been more cases in the last two to three weeks, especially given the recent holiday season,” Dr. Rabbinafard said. “Flu activity typically peaks in January to February, so numbers may still be rising.”
Regarding vaccinations, Dr. Rabbinafard emphasized that it is not too late to get a flu shot: “Vaccination is recommended as long as flu viruses are still circulating,” she said. “Getting a flu shot now can still help protect against influenza and reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization or complications.”
Dr. Mubeen Mandani from Northside Hospital Diagnostic Clinic stated that the vaccine can lower serious effects from the flu and is 40% to 60% effective each year. “Even if this doesn’t seem like a high number, getting the flu shot has shown to greatly reduce its spread as well as greatly reduce one’s chances of flu-related hospitalizations and death,” Dr. Mandani said.
It takes about two weeks after vaccination for protective antibodies to develop. Vaccination can also protect against other strains later in the season even if someone has already had or been exposed to one strain earlier.
Health officials recommend everyone aged six months and older receive a flu shot; approximately 130 million doses have been distributed across the United States for this season.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on January 5 that 32.9% of tests nationwide were positive for influenza A during the previous week, with Georgia experiencing nearly 30 flu-related deaths since early October. The CDC estimates that so far this season there have been at least 11 million illnesses, 120,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths related to influenza.
