Boston doctor explains why Massachusetts could be in store for bad flu season
NEWSCENTER 5 AT 530. THERE ARE INCREASING SIGNS THAT WE COULD BE IN FOR A TOUGH FLU SEASON THIS YEAR. AND HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DR. ALI RAZA, DEPUTY CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE AT MGA. DR. RAJA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. FALL IS HERE AND THAT MEANS FLU SEASON IS WELL ON THE WAY. BUT DRIVING THE WARNINGS RIGHT NOW. WELL, I’LL IT’S MOSTLY THE EXPERIENCE THE COUNTRIES IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE LIKE AUSTRALIA HAD THIS YEAR WITH THE FLU. YOU KNOW, THE FLU SEASON DOWN THERE IS OFTEN PREDICTIVE OF THE FLU SEASON UP HERE. AND THEY HAD A PRETTY BAD ONE. IN FACT, IT WAS THEIR WORST IN FIVE YEARS. SO IT’S THEIR EXPERIENCE. THAT’S ALL THIS TALK ABOUT THE FLU SEASON HERE, THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE RIGHT NOW. WELL, WE’VE ALL BEEN SO CAREFUL OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT WE’VE BEEN A LITTLE SPOILED IN TERMS OF KEEPING FLU ACTIVITY LOW. WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER ABOUT AVOIDING THE VIRUS THIS WINTER? YOU KNOW, FORTUNATELY, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE’VE GOTTEN REALLY USED TO DOING TO AVOID COVID ARE GOING TO WORK JUST AS WELL ON OTHER VIRUSES LIKE, INFLUENZA. SO STAYING HOME FROM WORK OR KEEPING YOUR KIDS HOME FROM SCHOOL WHEN THEY’RE SICK, HONESTLY WE DIDN’T DO ENOUGH OF THAT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. SO NOW IT’S MUCH MORE EXCEPT IT GOOD HANDWASHING, BETTER AIR FILTRATION SYSTEMS WEARING MASKS OUT IN PUBLIC OR ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. ALL OF THOSE HABITS ARE GOING TO LIMIT THE SPREAD OF THE FLU AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. SO FAR, WE’VE DODGED THE SO-CALLED TWIN DAMAGE. A COMBINATION OF COVID AND FLU CASES. AT THE SAME TIME. WHAT ARE HOSPITALS DOING TO GET READY IF THAT’S NOT THE CASE THIS TIME? EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WE KNEW THAT PATIENTS WITH INFLUENZA, RSV, ALL OF THE OTHER VIRUSES, TYPICALLY COME INTO HOSPITALS DURING THE WINTER. WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT’S NOT JUST OUR PATIENTS, BUT ALSO OUR STAFF WHO CAN BE AFFECTED. SO WE’VE SET UP A LOT OF SYSTEMS WITH BACKUP AND ON CALL SYSTEMS TO ENSURE REDUNDANCY IN CASE WE START SEEING STAFF GET SICK. BUT HER’S A REALLY COOL THING. WE ACTUALLY NOW HAVE A GREAT HOME HOSPITAL SYSTEM IN PLACE. SO WHEN PATIENTS COME IN, THERE’S CERTAIN PATIENTS THAT WE CAN TREAT AT HOME. EVEN WITH THINGS LIKE IV MEDICATION, ONES THAT KEEP THEM OUT OF THE HOSPITAL ALTOGETHER. OH, VERY GOOD. OKAY. DR. ALVARADO, THANKS A
Boston doctor explains why Massachusetts could be in store for bad flu season
Dr. Ali Raja, vice chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at MGH, also gives his best tips about avoiding influenza.
Dr. Ali Raja, vice chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at MGH, also gives his best tips about avoiding influenza.
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