Aaron Billin

Steven Bischoff

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As cold and flu season picks up steam, medical providers are reminding residents to follow common sense precautions — and to get vaccinated.

Wyoming saw “an active flu season” last year, State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist said last month, “and we would unfortunately expect that to be the case again” in the coming months. On a nationwide basis, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control has predicted that the 2023-24 season will be similar to last year, with hospitalizations from COVID-19, RSV and flu up from pre-pandemic levels.

Wyoming’s flu season typically doesn’t peak until late winter — months later than many other parts of the country — but people have already begun falling ill in Park County.

Personnel at Cody Regional Health started seeing an uptick in flu cases the weekend after Thanksgiving, and the numbers are increasing.

“The majority, if not all, positive cases of influenza are in patients that did not receive their flu-vaccine this year,” added Steven Bischoff, a physician assistant who works in Cody Regional’s walk-in clinic and emergency room.

Staff at both the Cody clinic and Powell Valley Healthcare have also seen increasing cases of COVID-19.

In Powell, Covid has been the more common illness in recent weeks, with two to three times as many cases as the flu, said Park County Health Officer Dr. Aaron Billin.

“We weren’t sure what to expect as trends are more difficult to determine when the absolute number of COVID-19 cases is relatively low (compared to the pandemic when trends were easier to predict),” added Billin, who works in Powell Valley Healthcare’s Emergency Department.

Bischoff added that, “the current variant of Covid we are seeing can make it hard to distinguish the two as the symptoms mimic and overlap between the two.”

For those who want to know if they have COVID-19, the federal government is continuing to offer free at-home testing kits. They can be ordered by visiting covid.gov/tests.

Whether a person has Covid or the flu, the medical advice is generally the same for mild or moderate cases. Those who are sick should stay hydrated with water, soups and other non-sugary liquids and get lots of rest … at home.

“To help prevent the spread of the flu, it is important to stay home from work or attending school when you are sick to help minimize the spread to others, as it is easily transmissible,” Bischoff said, noting the virus spreads via tiny droplets.

Billin echoed that advice, which applies to the flu, Covid and any other respiratory diseases.

“I am surprised by the number of symptomatic people who have had a positive home COVID-19 test and still come to the ER and expose others because they want ‘confirmation,’” Billin said.

Covering your coughs and sneezes is another good practice, regardless of whether you’re sick.

You can also reduce your risk of falling ill by taking common sense precautions. Billin recommends: avoiding close contact with those who are sick; trying not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth; keeping your hands clean; and disinfecting and cleaning frequently touched surfaces — especially when someone is ill.

But his No. 1 tip is to get vaccinated.

“We recommend a seasonal flu shot for everyone 6 months of age and older who hasn’t already received one this fall because these important vaccines reduce and help prevent serious illness, hospitalizations and deaths,” Dr. Harrist of the Wyoming Department of Health said last month. “Flu shots are safe and continue to be our most important influenza protection strategy.”

Each flu season is a bit different, which requires different vaccine formulations each year. The most common quadrivalent vaccine for the 2023-24 flu season is designed to protect against four different types of influenza viruses: H1N1, H3N2, B/Victoria and B/Yamagata. The H1N1 strain has been the most common in Park County so far this season, while H3N2 was seen the most often last year.

Influenza typically comes on suddenly with fever, chills and body aches, followed by a cough, sore throat and breathing issues.

It can take a week or more for the flu to run its course — and symptoms may not get their worst until days five to seven, Bischoff said. It’s during that peak that the fever and respiratory issues become the most severe, he said, often accompanied by fatigue that “may be overwhelming.”

Symptoms vary from strain-to-strain and person-to-person, with some cases more severe than others. While the vast majority of people recover without any lasting effects, the flu can cause serious illness. Bischoff said that’s why vaccination and early medical intervention is important.

Adults 65 and older, children under the age of 2 and those with certain chronic health conditions are at the highest risk of severe illness, according to the CDC.

“By recognizing the signs early on, individuals can take appropriate measures to protect themselves and others, including seeking medical advice, practicing good respiratory and hand hygiene, and, most importantly, getting vaccinated,” Bischoff said. “Stay informed, stay vigilant, and prioritize your health during this flu season.”

It can take up to two weeks for an individual to build up immunity following a flu shot, so public health officials encourage residents to get vaccinated sooner rather than later.

(Zac Taylor contributed reporting.)