PROVIDENCE – The number of flu cases in Rhode Island has been designated widespread with about 2.7 percent of patient visits at sentinel sites attributed to flu-like illness, according to the R.I. Department of Health, triggering a state law requiring unvaccinated health care workers in hospitals and health care facilities to wear surgical masks.
Widespread influenza is declared with outbreaks of influenza and recent laboratory-confirmed influenza in at least half of the regions of the state.
So far this flu season, there have been two reported deaths attributed to influenza in the Ocean State, according to the Department of Health.
The sentinel sites reporting on flu cases include health care facilities and providers throughout the state that report to RIDOH, said Joseph Wendelken, spokesman for the department. There have been 124 hospitalizations in Rhode Island this season that were flu-related, and two deaths, the department reported Wednesday.
Last flu season, influenza sent 1,390 Rhode Islanders to the hospital and resulted in 60 deaths over the entire flu season, Wendelken said.
Unvaccinated health care workers must wear masks when involved in direct patient contact. Examples of direct patient contact are entering a patient’s room, serving food to patients, or participating in group patient activities. The requirement also applies to all licensed emergency medical service practitioners who have not been vaccinated against the flu.
Facilities where the surgical mask requirement is in effect:
- Adult day care programs
- Assisted living facilities
- CVS Minute Clinics
- Free-standing ambulatory care surgical centers
- Free-standing emergency care facilities
- Home care providers
- Home nursing care providers
- Hospice providers
- Hospitals
- Kidney treatment centers
- Nursing facilities
- Organized ambulatory care facilities
- Physician ambulatory surgery centers
The Department of Health also reminded Rhode Islanders to seek medical care in the appropriate setting. Less-severe cases of the flu are often more quickly treated by a primary care provider or in an urgent care facility. However, warning signs that indicate that someone with the flu does need to go to the emergency department include difficulty breathing or shortness of breath; pain or pressure in the chest; and having flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and a worse cough.
If someone is not sure if they need to go to the emergency department, they should contact their primary care provider. A primary care provider will be able to provide guidance about the next best step. Most offices have physicians on-call after hours, the department said.
RIDOH recommends that everyone older than 6 months of age should be vaccinated against the flu every year. In addition to health care workers, vaccination is particularly important for pregnant women, younger children, people over the age of 50, nursing home or group home residents, and people with chronic conditions, such as heart, lung, or kidney disease; diabetes; asthma; anemia; blood disorders; or weakened immune systems. Flu shots are available at doctors’ offices and pharmacies throughout Rhode Island.
Rob Borkowski is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Borkowski@PBN.com.
