TAMPA, Fla. — If it seems like everyone around you is sick it's because flu and COVID cases have been on the rise for months.
But this week, the Florida Department of Health shared a small piece of promising data.
The number of flu infections and flu-related emergency department visits is trending downward in Florida. In the past week — Dec. 31, 2023, through Jan. 6, 2024 — both the flu positivity rate and flu emergency visits have decreased from the week prior, according to the state's latest flu review.
However, Florida still has "high" flu activity based on the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC's scale ranges from "minimal" to "very high," and every state surrounding Florida is showing the highest level of flu activity.
Plus, Florida's data shows that while the number of emergency department visits with flu diagnoses has decreased from the previous 3-week average (from Dec. 24, 2023, to Jan. 7, 2024), that number is much higher now than it was at this time during the past two years.
The latest state flu review also notes that four Florida counties saw flu outbreaks in the past week, and two of them are in the Tampa Bay area: Pinellas and Polk counties.
Another concerning piece of data from the CDC shows that Americans are lagging in getting flu vaccines compared to previous flu seasons. Since the end of October, healthcare providers have given fewer vaccines per week than during those same weeks in the previous four flu seasons.
“Unfortunately, we’re seeing fewer people come in for flu shots. And I think a lot of it is related to our past experience during COVID, during the pandemic, when there were lots of questions and concerns about vaccines,” Dr. Nichelle Threadgill, the chief medical officer at Evara Health, said.
According to the CDC, it’s safe to get your flu, COVID and RSV shots at the same time. All three infections are on the rise right now. It will take about two weeks before you’re fully protected.
10 Investigates' Jenna Bourne contributed to this report.