The flu is hitting hard this season. Chances are you know someone or even an entire family who’s been down with the flu for a week or more this season. Maybe you’ve been unlucky enough to experience it yourself.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health, DPH, has reported widespread flu activity in the state each week since Nov. 24, 2024.

While influenza is known to be extremely contagious, this year’s flu season has been notable in terms of severity and persistence of illness. Outpatient visits for flu-like illness have reached their highest level in the U.S. in more than a decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

A strain of Influenza A has been particularly dominant this year, producing the typical upper respiratory symptoms and high fever, as well as vomiting and diarrhea, with cough lingering for more than a week.

Nationally, over 96 percent of positive flu tests show Influenza A, and 3.4 percent show Influenza B, according to the CDC. 

“Typically, flu presents first with the sore throat, high fever and cough. This strain is hitting a lot of people with gastrointestinal symptoms first, which they don’t necessarily think of as flu,” says Gabrielle Janes, nurse practitioner at Tidelands Health Family Medicine at The Market Common. 

Tamiflu, an antiviral medication, is most effective when administered early – within 72 hours after the onset of symptoms. Drinking lots of fluids and getting rest also can help recovery, Janes says.

To prevent spreading the flu to others, stay home for at least five days, wash your hands and cover your cough, Janes says.

Janes says if you are infected to watch for signs of secondary infections, such as bronchitis or pneumonia. If you have shortness of breath or ongoing fevers after a week, you should contact your health care provider.

Emergency departments are seeing some flu patients with dehydration, elevated heart rate and difficulty breathing, with some needing to be admitted to the hospital for treatment.

As of Feb. 1, 2025, there have been 4,258 people hospitalized with flu-associated illness and 67 influenza-associated deaths in South Carolina this season, according to DPH.

If you have been lucky enough to avoid the flu so far this season, it’s not too late to get a flu shot, Janes says. Vaccination does not guarantee you won’t get the flu, but it does provide some protection and can lessen symptoms if you do get sick.   

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this year’s vaccine is a trivalent, meaning it provides protection from three strains of flu, two A strains and one B strain.  

In addition to getting a flu shot, regularly washing your hands and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces can help guard against the flu virus.