Flu activity low locally as health officials urge holiday precautions

The peak of flu season is still weeks away, but Northwest Georgia health officials are encouraging residents to take precautions now as colder temperatures and holiday gatherings increase opportunities for the virus to spread. Dr. Gary Voccio, district health director for Northwest Georgia Public Health, said flu activity typically peaks in January and February, and he expects cases to increase locally as the region moves closer to winter. kAm“(6 2C6 D66:?8 ?F>36CD :?4C62D6 D=:89E=J[ 2=E9@F89 @FC ?F>36CD 96C6 :? }@CE9H6DE v6@C8:2 2C6 >:?:>2=[” '@44:@ D2:5]k^Am kAmp=E9@F89 =@42= 7=F 24E:G:EJ C6>2:?D C6=2E:G6=J =@H[ v6@C8:2 92D 2=C625J C64@C565 :?7=F6?K2\C6=2E65 9@DA:E2=:K2E:@?D[ @FE3C626?E @7 !F3=:4 w62=E9]k^Am kAmsFC:?8 E96 H66< 6?5:?8 ~4E] ac[ E96 DE2E6 C6A@CE65 EH@ :?7=F6?K2\2DD@4:2E65 562E9D 2?5 D6G6? 7=F @FE3C626EC@ pE=2?E2 DFCG6:==2?46 2C62 C64@C565 cf 9@DA:E2=:K2E:@?D]k^Am kAm$:?46 E96 D62D@? 3682? :? 62C=J ~4E@36C[ v6@C8:2 92D C64@C565 D6G6? :?7=F6?K2\2DD@4:2E65 562E9D 2?5 a` @FE3C626EC@ pE=2?E2 DFCG6:==2?46 2C62[ H9:49 5@6D ?@E :?4=F56 u=@J5 r@F?EJ[ 92D C64@C565 `ec 9@DA:E2=:K2E:@?D]k^Am kAm%96 DE2E6 2=D@ C6A@CE65 E92E a]eT @7 @FEA2E:6?E G:D:ED 5FC:?8 E96 H66< 6?5:?8 ~4E] ac :?G@=G65 :?7=F6?K2\=:<6 :==?6DD6D[ 36=@H E96 C68:@?2= 32D6=:?6 @7 b]aT] ~G6C2== 7=F 24E:G:EJ H2D 4=2DD:7:65 2D >:?:>2=]k^Am kAmu=F D62D@? EJA:42==J 368:?D :? ~4E@36C 2?5 42? =2DE E9C@F89 |2J[ H:E9 24E:G:EJ 86?6C2==J C6249:?8 :ED 9:896DE =6G6=D 36EH66? s646>36C 2?5 u63CF2CJ]k^Am kAm'@44:@ D2:5 E96 D6G6C:EJ @7 6249 7=F D62D@? G2C:6D 56A6?5:?8 @? D6G6C2= 724E@CD[ :?4=F5:?8 G244:?2E:@? C2E6D 2?5 9@H H6== E96 D62D@?2= G244:?6 >2E496D 4:C4F=2E:?8 DEC2:?D]k^Am kAmp=E9@F89 @=56C 25F=ED 2C6 A2CE:4F=2C=J GF=?6C23=6 E@ D6G6C6 4@>A=:42E:@?D[ '@44:@ D2:5 J@F?86C 49:=5C6? 2C6 2>@?8 E9@D6 4FCC6?E=J D66<:?8 6>6C86?4J 42C6 7@C :?7=F6?K2\=:<6 :==?6DD6D]k^Am kAm“p =@E @7 @=56C A6@A=6 ]]] C64@8?:K6 E92E 7=F 42? 36 56G2DE2E:?8[” '@44:@ D2:5] “$@ @=56C A6@A=6 2C6 >@C6 =:<6=J E@ 86E 2 7=F D9@E]”k^Am kAm'@44:@ D2:5 4@=56C E6>A6C2EFC6D 4@?EC:3FE6 E@ E96 D62D@?2= DAC625 @7 :?7=F6?K2]k^Am kAm“xE’D 3642FD6 H96? J@F’C6 86EE:?8 4@=56C E6>A6C2EFC6D[ A6@A=6 2C6?’E =:<6=J E@ 8@ @FED:56 2D >F49 2?5 E96J DE2J :?5@@CD[” '@44:@ D2:5] “p?5 D@[ :E’D E96 6?4=@D65 6?G:C@?>6?E H96C6 A6@A=6 H9@ >2J 92G6 7=F @C :?7=F6?K2\=:<6 :==?6DD 2C6 2C@F?5 >@C6 A6@A=6 :?5@@CD]”k^Am kAm(:E9 %92?2D 2AAC@249:?8[ 96 6?4@FC2865 72>:=:6D E@ E2<6 AC642FE:@?D 367@C6 EC2G6=:?8 @C 82E96C:?8 H:E9 C6=2E:G6D]k^Am kAm“v6E 2 7=F D9@E] p3D@=FE6=J] %92E’D E96 7:CDE C64@>>6?52E:@? x H@F=5 >2<6[” '@44:@ D2:5]k^Am kAmw62=E9 @77:4:2=D C64@>>6?5 6G6CJ@?6 e >@?E9D 2?5 @=56C C646:G6 2? 2??F2= 7=F G244:?2E:@?[ AC676C23=J 62C=J :? E96 72==] w@H6G6C[ C6D:56?ED H9@ 92G6 ?@E J6E C646:G65 E96:C D9@E 42? DE:== 36?67:E 7C@> 86EE:?8 G244:?2E65]k^Am kAm%96 G244:?6 E2<6D 23@FE EH@ H662<:?8 }@G6>36C 2? :>A@CE2?E @AA@CEF?:EJ 7@C C6D:56?ED E@ 86E G244:?2E65 367@C6 9@=:52J 82E96C:?8D]k^Am kAmp5F=ED ed 2?5 @=56C 2C6 6?4@FC2865 E@ C646:G6 G244:?6D DA64:7:42==J 56D:8?65 E@ AC@5F46 2 DEC@?86C :>>F?6 C6DA@?D6[ :?4=F5:?8 9:89\5@D6[ C64@>3:?2?E @C 25;FG2?E65 @AE:@?D]k^Am kAmu=F D9@ED 2C6 2G2:=23=6 2E E96 u=@J5 r@F?EJ w62=E9 s6A2CE>6?E[ =@42= A92C>24:6D[ FC86?E 42C6 4=:?:4D 2?5 E9C@F89 AC:G2E6 962=E9 42C6 AC@G:56CD] |@DE 962=E9 :?DFC2?46 A=2?D 2?5 |65:42C6 !2CE q 4@G6C D62D@?2= 7=F G244:?2E:@?D H:E9@FE 2 4@A2J] #6D:56?ED D9@F=5 42== 29625 E@ 4@?7:C> 2G2:=23:=:EJ 2?5 9@FCD]k^Am kAmq6J@?5 G244:?2E:@?[ '@44:@ C64@>>6?565 7C6BF6?E 92?5H2D9:?8[ 2G@:5:?8 4=@D6 4@?E24E H:E9 D:4< :?5:G:5F2=D 2?5 4@?D:56C:?8 2 >2D< H96? 2AAC@AC:2E6]k^Am kAmw6 2=D@ 6?4@FC2865 C6D:56?ED 6IA6C:6?4:?8 76G6C[ 4@F89:?8 @C 2 CF??J ?@D6 E@ 4@?E24E E96:C 962=E9 42C6 AC@G:56C 23@FE E6DE:?8 2?5 2G@:5 6IA@D:?8 @E96CD[ A2CE:4F=2C=J 5FC:?8 9@=:52J 82E96C:?8D]k^Am kAm#6D:56?ED 42? 7@==@H H66<=J :?7=F6?K2 24E:G:EJ FA52E6D E9C@F89 E96 v6@C8:2 s6A2CE>6?E @7 !F3=:4 w62=E9’D H63D:E6]k^Am