ORLANDO, Fla. – As holiday travel ramps up, medical practitioners are urging persons to get vaccinated to avoid the spread of influenza and COVID-19.
News 6 health and fitness reporter Kirstin O’Connor spoke with Dr. Timothy Hendrix, of AdventHealth Centra Care, about vacation security.
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KIRSTIN: People today are even now imagining about COVID-19, but what else do we require to think about though we’re planning for family members get-togethers?
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HENDRIX: Well, there is a good deal of time to put together correct now. So we’ve received quite a few months ahead of we get to Xmas time. So now’s the time to get your flu shot if you have not acquired your flu shot for the reason that flu year has officially started off. We’re seeing extra cases of influenza at Centra Treatment in the final couple of months, so go out there and get your flu shot. It normally takes at the very least a week or two for it to turn into successful.
KIRSTIN: What kind of information do you have for households that are about to consider a flight?
HENDRIX: Sporting your mask while you’re in the airport and when you’re in indoors in these general public regions. There is a prerequisite nonetheless to wear a mask in the airport and on the on the airplane. But being mindful about that and minimizing the treats on the airplane (is significant). If you’re a person of all those people today sipping the drink, munching on the aircraft, you know, you definitely have to have to maintain off and keep your mask on all through the flight simply because these are locations in which you have a better transmission risk in these crowded indoor spots.
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KIRSTIN: Should persons however be having COVID tests just before traveling?
HENDRIX: If you ever have any queries about finding a COVID test, it is extremely straightforward, and it’ll take away any uncertainties in your mind. But I would advocate if you’re ill, if you’re uncovered to COVID, you know, any individual has COVID or if you traveled just lately or have been in a large-hazard situation — a massive team of persons — to go get analyzed. And at Centra Treatment, we have the rapid check. We can get you the success in 15 minutes to decide if it is COVID or not. Due to the fact a great deal of these viruses have incredibly very similar indications, you know, COVID, flu, and just the common chilly, even allergic reactions, you know, runny nose, and the coughing and sneezing, you know, that could also seem like COVID. So go get examined, it’s incredibly simple.
Everyone traveling internationally can make an appointment for a COVID check at the Orlando Global Airport.
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KIRSTIN: Are you setting up to see a large amount additional instances of the flu?
HENDRIX: Yeah, right here in Florida, we have found about 300 instances of influenza at Centra Care in our Central Florida Centra Cares. And that is, you know, 300, 350 for every week as comparison in 2019, our previous serious flu season, so we’re very well on the way to a regular flu year.
KIRSTIN: Will the COVID booster be productive by Xmas?
HENDRIX: I assume the timing is a lot more crucial now that you can get that booster in one particular to two weeks. You are going to start off to promote those antibodies. And we know just after that booster you get these types of a terrific robust response of antibodies. And some of the proof just in the previous day or two that Pfizer and the experiments are exhibiting that that booster seriously does give you a excellent safety against variants like omicron, so now’s the time to get that in advance of we get into these household gatherings.
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