MAUMELLE, Ark. — Urgent care clinics across central Arkansas are seeing a surge in flu cases within the last few days.
Krystine Miller is a nurse practitioner at Sherwood Urgent Care in Maumelle. She said all nine clinics in Arkansas have seen more flu cases recently.
"Per CDC, they've seen 280 positive cases for Arkansas just within the last week," Miller said.
Miller says at her clinic, 11 people have tested positive for Flu A.
"Flu A is normally a headache, fever. The adults we notice the high pulse rate greater than 100 and they all have this red-eye look to them," she said.
She said three tested positive for Flu B.
"A lot of people talk about the GI side effects, nausea, vomiting," Miller said.
Miller said about 50 percent of those patients had the flu shot.
"It's not a cure-all, it is just going to help you if you were to get the flu to ease some of the symptoms," she said.
Doctors this year are also prescribing a newer drug called Xofluza and in some cases, it could be more effective than Tamiflu.
"I personally took it last year when I had the flu and I felt better in three days," Miller said.
Miller said Xofluza only requires one day of treatment, versus Tamiflu which typically requires five.
"It's for 12 and older and it's the two pills that you take now and you're done and usually your symptoms are decreased to about three days," she said.
Miller said anytime you are coming down with the flu, it is best to go and get tested as soon as possible.
"If you've had the flu symptoms that have started less than 48 hours, it's definitely good for you to go in and get treatment with an anti-viral," she said.
Miller said most insurance should cover Xofluza. Otherwise, it will cost you about 100 dollars.
Just a reminder: you can still get the flu shot and insurance will cover that, too.
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