Press Releases

The Flu is Hitting Illinois Hard - Some Groups in Particular

There are more and more media reports about the flu in Illinois and we are seeing more cases come to our ER. Here is some information that may help you regarding those who are at most risk for serious complications from the flu. Remember, the flu can be very dangerous and shouldn't be taken lightly. If you haven't gotten your flu shot, it's not too late to get one.

According to the CDC, the following is a list of health and age factors that are known to increase a person’s risk of getting serious complications from the flu:

• Asthma
• Neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions
• Blood disorders (such as sickle cell disease)
• Chronic lung disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and cystic fibrosis)
• Endocrine disorders (such as diabetes mellitus)
• Heart disease (such as congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease)
• Kidney disorders
• Liver disorders
• Metabolic disorders (such as inherited metabolic disorders and mitochondrial disorders)
• People who are obese with a body mass index [BMI] of 40 or higher
• People younger than 19 years of age on long-term aspirin therapy
• People with a weakened immune system due to disease or medication (such as people with HIV or AIDS, or cancer, or those on chronic steroids)

Other people at high risk from the flu:

• Adults 65 years and older
• Children younger than 5 years old, but especially children younger than 2 years old
• Pregnant women and women up to 2 weeks after the end of pregnancy
• American Indians and Alaska Natives
• People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities