The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) contributes the reduced number of flu and other respiratory illnesses this season to preventative safety measures in place during the COVID-19 Pandemic. These safety measures known as the 3Ws include:
- Wearing a mask.
- Staying 6 feet apart from people.
- Frequently washing hands or using hand sanitizer.
According to the NCDHHS, North Carolina has seen shallow levels of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) this year compared to past years.
In North Carolina, there have only been four deaths this flu season compared to 186 deaths last flu season. In the 2018-2019 flu season, more than 200 flu-related deaths were reported by the health and human services department.
The NCDHHS also reports that N.C. Medicaid has seen a 98.2% reduction in Tamiflu expense claims. Tamiflu is a drug used to treat the flu.
According to health officials, COVID-19 spreads more easily than the flu and other seasonal respiratory viruses. Still, mask wearing, social distancing, and handwashing have been shown to help slow the illnesses’ spread.
“Altogether, this data tells us the preventative measures we’re taking are working,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. “Not only are the 3Ws having a big impact on the spread of flu and other respiratory viruses, this data shows us that the spread of COVID-19 would likely be much higher if we weren’t taking these measures.”
“Reducing hospitalizations because of flu and other respiratory illness has been critically important to helping N.C.’s hospitals manage surges in COVID-19 cases,” Cohen said. “We must keep practicing preventative measures such as wearing a mask, waiting six feet apart and washing our hands so we can continue to help save lives.”
Bladen County Health Department released the COVID-19 update today. In the update, there is 35 COVID-19 related deaths in Bladen County. Review the full update for Bladen and North Carolina here.
Dr. Teresa (Terri) Duncan, Director of the County Health and Human Services Agency, announced last week there were ten (10) COVID-19 related deaths in the month of January, versus twenty-four in all of 2020. However, the flu-related deaths in Bladen County have not been reported.
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