FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – Officials with the Kentucky Department for Public Health have announced two additional children have died from influenza, one child from the Barren River Health District and one child from Jefferson County, meaning three children have now died from influenza this season in Kentucky.
“We are committed to doing all that we can to protect the health and safety of those in Kentucky,” said Dr. Steven Stack, Commissioner of the Department for Public Health. “It is important that we take the necessary precautions, such as staying up to date on vaccinations, washing hands regularly with soap and water, covering coughs and sneezes and staying home when sick, to protect ourselves and our loved ones from the harm that viruses such as influenza and COVID-19 can cause.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has described this flu season as the worst in over 15 years. Though most influenza and COVID-19 infections result in mild illness, serious symptoms such as difficulty breathing, seizures, high fever (>104°F), dehydration (e.g., reduced urine output, dry mouth, no tears when crying), or worsening of other medical conditions require medical attention. Antiviral treatment of influenza and COVID-19 are also recommended for some individuals to reduce the severity of illness.
“We share this information not to scare folks, but to let them know that illnesses like the flu and COVID-19 can become serious,” added Dr. Stack. “Fortunately, there are precautions people can take to decrease the risk of serious illness. Vaccines are safe and effective at lowering one’s risk of infection, hospitalization and death.”
The CDC recommends that everyone six months of age and older get the annual flu and COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccinations are especially important for people who have high-risk medical conditions. Flu and COVID-19 vaccines can be given any time during the respiratory virus season and can be administered at the same time. Most individuals can receive flu and COVID-19 vaccines at no charge. To find vaccines near you visit vaccines.gov.
Health officials say it is not too late to get vaccinated as flu season extends through April. This flu season there have been two co-dominant subtypes of influenza A circulating, H1 and H3. Health officials encourage those who have already had the flu this season to still get vaccinated to prevent an infection with a different subtype of influenza.
