Local medical providers are asking the public to choose carefully when seeking care for flu-like illness.
Emergency Department physicians at Essentia Health in Fargo are reporting a 15 percent increase in visits to the ER for influenza.
Dr. Josh Honeyman says in the last week in his ED, there have been about 120 cases of confirmed influenza. And he says because most patients with flu will recover with no medical care, the visits can bog down wait times and take a toll on emergency department resources.
"There's options outside of the emergency department. You have virtual care visits, several different walk-in clinics in the community, primary care is always an option. Although the emergency department can be convenient, because it's open 24 hours a day, please consider some of these other options first so we can not delay care for folks having strokes, heart attacks and other medical emergencies."
Honeyman says patients should seek care for influenza if they are experiencing shortness of breath, chest pain, have severe weakness, persistent vomiting and dehydration, lightheadedness and loss of consciousness. But he says typical flu-like illness with chills, fever, body aches, sore throat and cough can be treated at home.
Honeyman says the flu season has really ramped up in the days after the holiday season ended. And he says while vaccines seem to have become politicized, they are still the best way to prevent contracting the flu.
"Obviously, vaccinations have been politicized. Some people are choosing to opt out when maybe they opted in before. Regardless of the politics, the science hasn't changed. We still know vaccines help prevent severe illness, and they still save lives. The best treatment for influenza is prevention, and one of the best prevention measures is vaccination."
Honeyman says it’s not too late to get flu shots – even if you’ve already had the flu. He says the shot may protect you from another strain of influenza.