Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Report: Flu season shaping up to be worst in years

Details

  • Description

    Dr. David Samadi weighs in

  • Duration 3:25
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Editor's Picks

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

-- yeah.

There's a new health warning to tell you about a growing number of states are reporting a worse flu season in years.

And the FDA has expanded its approval of the most widely prescribed flu medication.

Tamiflu you may have heard -- the listen up for children as young as two weeks old.

Are medically teams on a doctor -- -- body and he's also head of the division of robotics at Mount Sinai Medical Center doctor thanks for coming in on this.

Worst flu season we're gonna put up the states that are reporting so far the worst flu season Tamiflu for kids two weeks old.

Yes so this is actually big breaking news but before we get to Tamiflu this is actually a very important information -- people do now.

Typically flu season starts around December and peaks around -- or February.

You may go on to march now it started in November they're about eight states.

Am -- actually indicating a high number of flu this is quite dangerous.

We know that -- the flu season hundreds of thousands of people actually get hospitalized.

Up to 49000.

What can die from this so it's very serious it's a good time to remind people again if you have not been vaccinated.

Go get your vaccination all the myths about the fact that it's dangerous a lot of side effects from it is probably not true it takes about two weeks for people to build up the immune.

As system so get vaccinated.

-- and it's good to know it's not too late to get your vaccination you know I was thinking about it with a baby that's two weeks old I was curious are we born with some.

Immunity or antibody.

To fight off infection like the flu.

Yes you get a lot of these soldiers and two -- coming from mom right after birth.

So we have some build of immune system in us.

But what Tamiflu the big news is that it was -- is approved for one year old and a -- there now they're bringing it to a -- -- -- -- there.

And the reason is because of the increased number of cases that -- -- singing children not Tamiflu.

Only works if you take in the first 48 hours of symptoms and that's very important.

Any any anything more than that it's not going to war.

Also there are some concerns about the side effects there were I looked up some studies about three years ago.

In the British system they were saying that the side effects are actually higher than the benefit we don't think that's the case.

Most of the side -- -- kids are usually bombing and -- you want to really.

Run that by you would.

Are interlinked that's the flu though that's what I want to ask how do you know with a child.

Whether it's a cold or flu.

And you wouldn't give Tamiflu without asking a physician how would a doctor diagnosed the difference it's by prescription number one and also most of the symptoms of flu Jamie.

They're mostly body aches sore throat and and a runny nose.

One of these usually not in the first this series of symptoms always have to run -- by your doctor the big thing is.

That Tamiflu for children like this is wait dependent and the dosage is three milligram.

Per kilogram.

Make sure that you know this number three milligram -- -- per kilogram you take it twice a day for five days.

And so even if the pharmacy I always say that that the best doctor for.

Patients are the patients you have to be your own doctors so that's the right dose it does work and it reduces the number of days of -- these kids being sick.

If it's taken in the first 48 hours all great information -- help keep our displays healthy and safe.

We'll see you tomorrow for Sunday house call looking forward regarding our doctor Siegel thanks back good to -- Kelly.

Load More