The percentage of visits this winter to doctor's offices in Alabama for flu-like symptoms have more than doubled over the same time period last winter, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.
That data is another reflection of the widespread nature of the flu virus this winter that has more than half the counties in Alabama and more than half the nation's states.
According to Dr. Mary McIntyre of the ADPH, office visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) reached about 18 percent during the most recent reporting period in the last week of December. That compares with almost 8 percent of office visits for ILI in December 2013, she said.
"Based on what we're actually getting as far as percentage of visits, it is higher - almost double what we saw last year as far as those who are going in to be seen with ILI," McIntyre said.
The ADPH said that 39 of Alabama's 67 counties have seen "significant flu activity" over the past three weeks. Those counties include most major cities such as Birmingham, Mobile, Huntsville and Montgomery.
Nationally, 29 states have been classified as having widespread flu activity by the Centers for Disease Control. There have been 21 pediatric deaths nationally attributed to the flu, though none in Alabama.
McIntyre said it is too soon to determine if the flu activity has peaked for the winter in Alabama because there could be another peak still to come.
As for the flu vaccine, McIntyre said it has not been as effective this year because the most common flu strain has "drifted" from its original state. The result is that the flu vaccine "is not a perfect match," she said.
The most prominent flu strain this year, she said, was Influenza A - or H3N2. But that's the strain that has "drifted." Influenza B, which has been less prevalent, is also included in the flu vaccine, McIntyre said.
Even though the vaccine has lost some effectiveness, McIntyre said she still urged those who have not gotten the shot to still take it. The flu vaccine could mitigate the effects of the flu even if it doesn't prevent it.
"I still recommend highly anybody who hasn't had, to go ahead and take it," she said. "While it may not prevent it completely, it can help reduce the severity of the illness - especially if they were to be exposed to the other types, which are included in the vaccine, like the Influenza B.
"It can potentially keep them out of the hospital or keep them from being so sick that they could potentially end up worse off. It's not too late to get the influenza vaccine. There is more than one type of strain of the virus that's circulating. They still need to go on."