CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Though there has been a lot of focus on the battle against COVID-19 for the past two years, health experts remind us that this time of year there are still other illnesses to worry about.
Dr. Eric Baggerman, CEO of Amistad Community Health Center, said they are starting to see more cases of the flu.
According to data from Nueces County, in the past three weeks that have been recorded, flu is on the rise.
The highest peak recorded being Week 44, which was directly after Halloween.
"Probably the biggest reason is because we were isolating. We were washing our hands, wearing our masks, when people were sick they were staying away from other people," Baggerman said. "That's one of the biggest reasons, but it was such a dramatic change there were probably other factors as well."
Baggerman reminds residents that there are more than 200 viruses out there besides COVID-19 and the flu, but there are ways to protect yourself against them and build up your immune system.
"Our immune system is built because we are either vaccinated for something, or we are exposed to it," Baggermaan said.
He added that a good night's rest and exercise are also ways to build up your immune system.
"In addition to washing our hands, avoiding touching our faces, our mouths and eyes are points of entry, and when we are sick distance yourself," Baggerman said. "Whether it's COVID or another viral infection, this is the best we can do to stop from spreading it among each other."
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