Reported by Jacqueline Fell
ORLANDO -- Swine flu is on its way down, according to health experts -- but are we in the clear yet?
“We think about half of Central Florida could have already been exposed to swine flu,” said Dr. Scott Brady, senior medical director at Centra Care. “The good news is, in the past two weeks, the swine flu levels have come down about 50 percent.”
Dr. Brady said the H1N1 virus is still as high as most regular flu seasons peak, and with the holidays just around the corner, the recent drop in cases may turn up again.
“Make sure over the holidays you wash your hands a lot, because there are a lot of different viruses out there,” he said.
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The virus first infected Central Floridians in May and June, with a decrease throughout the summer, but soon as school started back up, the number of cases rose again, and continued rising every single week. Only now has it finally started going back down.
A third peak, Brady said, was unlikely.
“When we look at how many people have been infected over the past six to eight weeks, it’s like putting the last three flu seasons altogether,” he told News 13. “In a normal flu season, we think about 40 percent of people get infected. So that’s why we think about half of Central Florida could have already been exposed to swine flu.”
Still, health care professionals said they are inundated with sick people, and continue to dole out flu shots, with more on the way -- all while the seasonal flu season is still two months away.
Dr. Brady predicted that would hit the area hard, so while the H1N1 impact is less, he said now is not the time to lax on hygiene and preparation.
“If you haven’t caught the swine flu, getting your flu shot and getting to your doctor quickly after you have your symptoms is still important,” he said. “It can be dangerous in some people. It’s not dangerous in most people, but it can be dangerous.”
Doctors still urged everyone to get two flu shots a year.
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