Health officials from across the state held a press conference Wednesday to caution about a recent surge of flu cases in Michigan.
Bethany Skillen, is the Manager of Geriatrics with Trinity Health Medical Group in Grand Rapids,
In Grand Rapids we are seeing a dramatic rise in hospitalizations due to flu,” Skillen said. “Last weekend, we had 15 people in the hospital with COVID, we had 15 in the hospital with the flu,” Skillen said. “That is the highest number of hospitalizations of people with the flu that we have had since the pandemic began.”
According to health officials, while warning signs are pointing to a severe impending flu season this year, so far, only 2.5 million residents of Michigan have received their flu vaccine; far short of the state’s goal of 4 million vaccines administered before caseloads peak.
Dr. Delicia Pruitt is Medical Director of the Saginaw County Health Department.
“So we have a ways to go,” Pruitt said. “And I know right now that because of COVID, I’d say some of us are a little vaccine shy because we don’t feel like taking more shots,” Pruitt said. “But this is not the time to give up.”
Meanwhile, health officials are also urging people to get the latest COVID-19 booster vaccine unless they have a medical reason not to, as Influenza, RSV and the coronavirus could make for a “tripledemic” this holiday season.
