Oxford Flu Cases Increase

Cheney’s Pharmacy staff at work. Photo by Justin Butts.

By Justin Butts
jbutts@go.olemiss.edu

According to the latest statistics from the state of Mississippi, if this season is anything like last year’s, the worst is yet to come. Oxford pharmacist Candace Vasilyev said she’s already seeing an increase.

“The last two weeks have been busier. I’ve heard from our drug rep that one of the urgent cares had five cases this morning before 9 a.m.,” Vasilyev said. 

Pharmacists aren’t the only people noticing an uptick in flu cases. People on the Ole Miss campus, like journalism dean Will Norton, are just now getting over the flu.  

“This was the first time I had the flu in seven years, and the nurse practitioner told me a lot of people have the flu, and they don’t know they have it because they do not have a high temperature,” Norton said. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avbGdBPEexE

If you are diagnosed with the flu, medical professionals advise you to stay home from work or school until you know you won’t get anyone else sick. 

“I would say 24 hours post fever. So, 24 hours after having fever,” Vasilyev said. “Then, you are usually safe to go back.”