LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18)– There’s no place like home for the Holidays, and being in close quarters with your loved ones can help in the spread of Christmas cheer and in the spread of unwanted viruses.
Aubrey Almond and his wife are introducing their daughter, six-week-old Josephine, to many relatives for the first time. They said they are taking precautions to keep her healthy.
“So we’re just asking everybody right now before they handle the baby to try and wash their hands, keeping hand sanitizer close by,” said Almond.
Doctor Elizabeth Hawse with Commonwealth Pediatrics said that this flu season has been slower than last year’s, but with people visiting each other for Christmas, she says to be on the lookout for symptoms.
“You have people that are together from different regions, and some people have had flu vaccines. And some people haven’t had flu vaccines,” she said. “True influenza is respiratory. So it’s usually a very quick onset of high fever, body aches, head aches, dry cough. Sometimes a sore throat.”
She says that if you have a fever, you may want to stay home.
“The most loving thing you can do is stay home and not give it to everybody in your family. They’ll appreciate that,” said Hawse.
Hawse said that the peak of flu season is usually late January, early February. She said that flu vaccines usually take effect after two weeks, so you still have time to get one.
