Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 18, 1992 TAG: 9201180346
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ISHAMEA HARRIS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
WORST OF FLU APPEARS OVER
It's been weeks since the early outbreak of flu cases in December when scores of kids in the Roanoke Valley were staying out from school and even area business was slowed down a bit.And while hospitals are still stuffed with folks with influenza and other winter bugs, the worst days seem to be over - at least for now.
"It would not be a surprise to see a second wave of it," said Suzanne Jenkins, assistant state epidemiologist.
If the hospitals are any indication, then the first wave isn't quite over yet.
"The clinic is pretty much full," said Dr. Douglas Blevins of the Lewis-Gale Clinic in Salem.
They're getting a lot of call-ins and giving them flu do's and don't's over the phone - drink plenty of fluids, get lots of rest and take Tylenol, if you can.
"Seems like it's tapered down," said Deanna Shockley, a receptionist for Roanoke Pediatric Center. "We had been busy for all the month of December."
When the flu season started, she said, the doctors' appointments were double-booked.
"It's started to quiet down in the past couple of days," said Dr. Anthony Stavola of North Roanoke Family Physicians. "Manageable. A lot has been actual influenza in the last couple weeks. But I have seen some other viral infections and a bit of strep throat."
Within one or two days of getting the flu, the virus can be treated with a medication called Amantadine. After that, only the symptoms - severe muscle aches, shaking chills, a high fever, congestion, a scratchy throat and an irritating hacking cough - can be treated.
Neither schools nor valley businesses are suffering, however. Most report a typical winter with the assorted colds, sinus problems and stomach aches.
But the local American Red Cross is not having a quiet time of it. Monday, the Roanoke Valley chapter issued an emergency appeal for Type "O" and Type "A" blood donors in the Appalachian Region.
"The flu has had a severe impact on our ability to collect blood in the region," said Stephen Warren of the Roanoke Valley chapter.
He said they had a no-show rate among donors of about 50 percent. Most people, he explained, had set up their appointments a week or so in advance and had come down with the flu just when they were supposed to give blood.
The valley Red Cross has cut shipments to hospitals, and there is little support available from other blood centers because both the flu and the blood shortage are going around the country. Area hospitals have not been forced to cancel elective surgeries, however.