Influenza Epidemic Declared in Western WA

[nursej22]

Flu reaches 'epidemic' level in Washington, record cases reported | KING5.com

There have been 9 reported deaths, and EDs are being inundated. How are things in your area?

So glad that I got my flu shot early.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Here's KevinMD and the link to the ZDogg video, just FYI.

Anti-vaccine Cleveland Clinic doctor just made our jobs so much harder

And the uproar over this has caused the Cleveland Clinic to have the doctor apologize for his blog column on Friday.

Cleveland Clinic doc apologizes for anti-vax column, hospital promises discipline | cleveland.com

[quazar]

Love ZDogg and Kevin MD.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

Knock on wood, there have been no confirmed cases of flu here. A few RSV positive labs but no flu yet. What is starting to make it's rounds is a nasty little GI bug. Several staff members have missed work thanks to vomiting and diarrhea but fortunately not a single one of our residents have it. I attribute this at least partially to a pretty strict policy that keeps anybody with GI symptoms off work until they are symptom free for at least 24 hours.