• Face coverings help to prevent the spread of COVID-19 because our everyday actions, such as speaking, coughing and sneezing, can easily transmit it.

• Some people with COVID-19 may not have symptoms (asymptomatic) and can transmit the virus unknowingly. By wearing a mask, they can help prevent that.

• While social distancing is still crucial, there are times when 6-feet of space is not always possible. For instance, when you’re at a grocery store check-out register. The mask helps to provide another layer of protection.

• By covering part of your face, you’re less likely to touch your eyes, nose and mouth. Plus, the mask reminds yourself and others to maintain social distancing.

• Your face covering helps to protect the people around you ~ your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers ~ from getting sick. And when others wear masks, they are helping to protect YOU.

And only time will tell for sure, but some indicators lean toward a potentially severe influenza season.

Clinical experts in the U.S. watch the Southern Hemisphere of the world for signs of what might be in store for us in the north.

In Australia, where winter recently ended, the Department of Health reported the flu season arrived earlier than normal. Of special concern to the experts is the type of flu season seen in Australia – Influenza A (H3N2). H3N2 is a more dominant strain of the flu and causes more illnesses.

How effective the flu vaccine is depends on how well experts predict what strains of the flu will be circulating the globe that year.

“The vaccine strains are chosen about nine months before flu season, based on circulating strains from around the world by epidemiologists who are geniuses and do this for a living,” said Mary Suzanne Whitworth, M.D., medical director of Infectious Diseases.

Locally, the first case of flu (Flu B) was reported at Cook Children’s Medical Center two weeks ago. Last week, no one tested positive for either strain.

NBC News reports that one pediatric flu death has already been recorded in the U.S. – a 4 year old in California who had underlying health problems.

Jason Terk, M.D., a Cook Children’s pediatrician and a national expert on immunizations, adds his voice to other pediatricians and global health experts who say the flu vaccine remains the best way to prevent influenza.

“The great news about the vaccine is that even when it’s not always a perfect match for prevention, the flu vaccine can reduce the severity of the illness, even if you do catch the flu that season,” Dr. Terk said.

To make an appointment for your child’s flu shot, contact your Cook Children’s pediatrician. The vaccine is currently available in many offices and a second shipment will be delivered next week.

“It takes two weeks for the shot to become most effective. Because flu can hit as early as late October or early November, we recommend getting the flu shot as soon as possible and definitely before the end of October,” said Justin Smith, M.D., a Cook Children’s pediatrician.

More On This Topic:

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• Influenza/Flu Information
• Let's Learn About ... The Flu
• How To Tell If It's Strep, Flu, Rotavirus Or Norovirus
• Comfort Menu to Ease Pain, Anxiety for Children Getting a Shot
• Is It a Cold or The Flu?
• Pediatricians Say Kids with Egg Allergies Should Now Get The Flu Shot

Once school was back from the Christmas break, kids returned to share their germs with one another. To make things worse, the brutally cold weather when they got back ensured that everyone stayed in an enclosed environment. All a perfect storm to see our flu numbers climb higher.

“We typically see an uptick in flu a couple of weeks after kids go back to school following the winter break,” said Jason Terk, M.D., a pediatrician at Cook Children’s in Keller. “Right now, we are seeing an increase in Flu B, but still see plenty of Flu A cases. Our patient volumes are still very high.”

Last week, 403 flu cases were confirmed at Cook Children’s, up from 345 the week prior. What makes this week different is the amount of Flu B cases seen. Last week saw 104 confirmed Flu B cases, up from 60 a week earlier.

“It’s expected that Flu B will follow or peak after Flu A, but it’s still earlier than expected this season,” said Morgan A. Pence, Ph.D., clinical microbiologist at Cook Children’s. “This is the earliest we’ve seen Flu B in the last four flu seasons and it looks like Flu A and B are overlapping more this year than in the past.”

The good news is that Flu B is usually less severe than Flu A. The bad news is it means a continuation of a flu season that is already looking to be the worst since the 2014-2015 season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the death of 30 children nationally as a result of the flu.The CDC stated that all U.S. States except Hawaii have reported widespread flu activity.

“It’s important for people to take care of themselves and others to prevent the spread of the flu as much as possible,” said Mary Suzanne Whitworth, M.D., medical director of Infectious Disease. “The flu vaccine continues to be recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older. Make sure to practice washing your hands and please keep your children home if they are sick.”

But be careful when your child is chasing his furry friend. New research shows that children are among the highest at risk for cat-scratch disease (CSD).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report on CSD that stated that incidence of CSD was highest among those who lived in southern states and among children 5-9 years of age. Hospitalization is more common in males 50 to 64 years of age. The CDC estimates that each year 12,000 outpatients are given a CSD diagnosis and 500 inpatients are hospitalized.

Bartonella henselae is the bacterium that causes the disease. The bacteria live in infected cats’ saliva, but the cats do not develop symptoms or become ill. Often times, the kittens or cats may carry the bacteria for months.

Fleas spread the bacteria between cats, but humans get cat scratch disease after being scratched, having an open sore licked, or getting bitten. Humans are more likely to acquire this infection from a kitten than from a grown cat.

CSD is not spread from person to person, but multiple cases can happen in the same family if everyone has had contact with the infected cat.

Symptoms are usually mild. Commonly children will develop a swollen lymph node above the scratch site, such as in the underarm above a scratch on the hand or arm. In extremely rare circumstances, the disease can lead to complications of the brain or heart.

“The good news is that this is normally not anything too serious and most people only have one episode of cat scratch disease. That one case usually makes them immune for the rest of their lives,” said Mary Suzanne Whitworth, M.D., medical director of Infectious Diseases at Cook Children’s. “Antibiotics are rarely required to treat and only for the most severe forms of the disease.”

Dr. Whitworth advises parents to talk to their children on how to properly handle their cats and to stay away from stray or unfamiliar cats.

“Parents don’t have to get rid of their family pet in fear of cat scratch disease,” Dr. Whitworth said. “The chance of this occurring is rare and in most cases the disease is mild. Making sure your child knows how to treat the pet is important. Teach them not to play roughly with the cat and make sure to wash your hands after handling the pet. Controlling fleas is also very helpful.”

If your child is scratched by a pet, wash the injured area well with soap and water. Call a doctor if you noticed your child has swollen or painful lymph nodes in an any area of the body or:

• The bite or scratch doesn’t heal in an appropriate manner.
• The redness of the wound increases.
• Significant fever occurs.

About the source

Mary Suzanne Whitworth, M.D. is the medical director of Infectious Diseases at Cook Children’s, which offers care for children and teens with diseases caused by bacteria, parasites, fungi or viruses. Our team provides a broad range of services including diagnosis, inpatient and outpatient consultations, immune deficiency evaluations and treatment of recurring infections.

Leaders from the Who called Zika a “public health emergency of international concern,” earlier in the week, because how fast the virus is spreading and the continued investigation into its link to babies born with abnormally small heads (microcephaly). Experts are also looking into the possible connection between Zika and a neurological condition called Guillain-Barré syndrome, which can cause paralysis.

No vaccine exists to prevent Zika virus. Mosquitoes that spread Zika virus bit mostly during daytime.

Click here for prevention information from the CDC.

Here's what we know from about the Zika virus from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention:

1. The Zika virus is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito, the same mosqutoes that spread dengue and chikungunya.
2. The mosquitoes are aggressive daytime biters, prefer to bite people and live indoors and outdoors near people. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on a person already infected with the virus. Infected mosquitoes then spread the virus to other people through bites.
3. A mother already infected with the Zika virus can pass on the virus to her newborn around the time of birth, but this is rare.
4. The CDC has not found any reports of the Zika virus spread through breastfeeding.
5. The CDC believes the virus could spread through blood transfusion. At this time, there have been no reports of this happening.
6. There has been one case of the virus spread through sexual contact.
7. The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a week and severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon.
8. However, the Zika virus can be dangerous, especially to babies. Doctors are studying the link to the virus and microcephaly, a birth defect that causes abnormally small heads and brains.
9. There is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika.
10. The CDC recommends “that all people, especially pregnant women, who are traveling to Brazil and other areas in Latin America, should take precautions to avoid mosquito bites to reduce their risk of infection with Zika virus and other mosquito-borne viruses such as dengue and chikungunya.”
11. The CDC asks that travelers protect themselves from mosquitoes by using insect repellent, wear long sleeves and pants, and stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens.

“There is still a lot to learn about Zika virus and the potential risk to cause this particular birth defect,” said Mary Suzanne Whitworth, M.D., medical director of Infectious Diseases at Cook Children’s. “However, because it could spread to the United States, it is important that doctors and patients are aware of it. Like other diseases that were once thought to be isolated to tropical areas like chikungunya, many patients and doctors forget to think about them.”

About the source

Mary Suzanne Whitworth, M.D. is the medical director of Infectious Diseases at Cook Children’s, which offers care for children and teens with diseases caused by bacteria, parasites, fungi or viruses. Our team provides a broad range of services including diagnosis, inpatient and outpatient consultations, immune deficiency evaluations and treatment of recurring infections.