Roll Up Your Sleeve, It’s Flu Season

It’s flu season, and you’ve probably already noticed people coughing or blowing their noses. Now that the long-awaited cooler months are upon Belize, health officials say flu activity is higher than normal, and is a time to protect yourself and your loved ones to reduce the chances of getting the flu. 

Why does the flu matter? Many underestimate what is often called “the common flu.” But surveillance data from the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) shows over 880 flu tests conducted this year, with roughly 25% returning positive, according to Dr Javier Novelo, Medical Officer and Surveillance Officer at the Central Health Region. Influenza and RSV [respiratory syncytial virus] are the most common viruses detected, with RSV hitting children the hardest.

Dr Novelo said the numbers are climbing. Children under five and the elderly remain most at risk. He explained that MOHW also tracks hospitalisations and deaths from severe respiratory infections. Belize has recorded 71 deaths this year, including 21 in the Belize District. 

“Some people, most people that can fight off these infections, may expose others,” Dr Novelo said, especially the most vulnerable groups. 

How to Protect Yourself

Flu vaccines are free at all public health facilities for children six months and older, pregnant women, adults with chronic illnesses, and the elderly. 

Nurse Lilia Middleton, manager of the Vaccine Programme at MOHW, spoke on their importance. “Vaccines are safe; they protect not only you as a person but also your family, and they protect our community. And then it, um, prevents illness. So it prevents the person from getting sick with the virus and also prevents hospitalisation. It prevents complications such as pneumonia or bronchitis, and then it sometimes even prevents death,” she said.

Other preventative measures include using a mask, washing hands regularly, staying home if sick, avoiding crowded areas, and getting your flu shot. “The more people are exposed, the more the virus spreads. It is recommended to stay home if unwell,” Dr Novelo said.

And if you’re worried about the side effects of the flu shots, Nurse Middleton said reactions are usually mild. “Pain at the injection site, swelling, and hardness. Those can be alleviated by putting a cold compress on the arm. Some people might get a fever; you might feel a little tired or get a little headache,” she said.