Cold and Flu Season

Kayleigh Mengel MS, Public Health Policy and Communication Coordinator for Wood County Health Department, was part of a recent interview with James J. Malouf on Mid-Day Magazine. She shared lots of helpful tips and information regarding this cold and flu season.

The Interview

The discussion began with an explanation of why cold and flu has a season. Mengel explained that the cold winter weather leads people indoors, and the lack of fresh air is the main culprit. Then the two discuss the uptick in cases of Pertussis (Whooping Cough). There are two main reasons that experts believe this has been happening. One of those is that Pertussis is a cyclical illness. Mengel explained that Pertussis spikes every 3 or 5 years, and this year is right on schedule. The other reason is that fewer children have been given the Pertussis vaccine, and that is driving the spike in cases as well. Malouf asked about the symptoms of the illness, and Mengel shared a helpful chart from Johns Hopkins Medicine. This Winter Illnesses Guide compares symptoms of common winter illnesses.

Common Symptoms	Pertussis	Cold	Flu	COVID-19
Fever and/or chills
Headache
Muscle pain or body aches
Feeling tired or weak
Sore throat
Runny or stuffy nose
Sneezing
Cough
Cough Attacks
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Vomiting and diarrhea
Change in or loss of taste or smell

Community Focus

The two then emphasized the importance of considering your community and their health and well-being when you are sick. Mengel strongly recommended staying home when you are ill to prevent the spread of illness to those most at risk in the community. She also stressed the importance of wearing a mask if you must go out when you’re sick, they have been proven to be helpful in preventing the spreading of contagious illnesses. The discussion then went to the complications of not getting treatment for Pertussis or Covid-19. Illness such as dehydration, ear infections, pneumonia, and seizures are among those discussed. Mengel highly suggested getting vaccinated because symptoms are dramatically lessened in individuals that are up to date on vaccinations. She also emphasized that infants are at the highest risk of these illnesses and of experiencing the worst of the complications. The best means of prevention for those infants is to adhere to the recommended vaccine timelines. It is also highly recommended that people wash hands frequently, and avoid giving kisses to those precious infants.

Important Information

Mengel also shared vaccine clinic information for our area. “There is a vaccine clinic the third Wednesday of every month (Dec. 18, 2024) and it extends into 2025. The clinic is located at the Wood County Health Department in the River Block Building in Wisconsin Rapids. This clinic is for children who qualify for the Vaccines for Children program. And there is a limited stock of vaccine for adults who are un/underinsured. Call 715-421-8926 to see if you are eligible and to setup an appointment.”

She also shared this helpful information for Covid-19 tests in our area.

“Free COVID-19 tests are available at locations throughout Wood County. Households are eligible to order four free COVID-19 tests at www.COVIDTests.gov.

• Wisconsin Rapids Locations: McMillan Library, Wood County Health Department, Mid-State Technical College
• Marshfield Locations: St. Vincent de Paul and Family Health Center.”

Links

If you would like to hear the interview in full you can do so on our website here. For more Wood County Health Department news, follow them on Facebook and subscribe to their newsletter at www.woodcountywi.gov/departments/health. For questions, contact the Wood County Health Department at 715-421-8911 or email health@woodcountywi.gov.