Cincinnati.com: Flu is raging. What would you do, doc?
UC expert says people who get the flu should isolate
Hospital emergency departments in the Cincinnati-area are seeing an increase in patients who have flu symptoms and complications, pushing hospitals be near or at capacity, partially because flu is raging in the region. Hospitalizations for flu locally rose 107% last week.
Cincinnati.com asked several local healthcare experts about what people should do as flu cases surge. One of those was Jennifer Forrester, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Internal Medicine at the UC College of Medicine.
Jennifer Forrester, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the UC College of Medicine/Photo/Colleen Kelley/UC Creative + Brand
One of the questions posed to the experts was whether or not a family member who gets the flu should isolate.
"Yes. Influenza is most contagious during the first three days of illness, but it can be contagious for up to seven days," Forrester said. "This virus … is transmitted through droplets from the mouth and nose, so wearing a mask when near others is important. Also, hand washing is still very important since we all touch our noses, eyes and other parts of our faces."
Another common question for people with the flu is how do they know whether to go to their doctor, an urgent care or the emergency department.
"You should go to the ER for symptoms like chest pain, difficulty breathing or fevers that don't go away with medication," Forrester says. "Anything that could be serious, or if your physician tells you to go."
The final question asked of the experts was if someone gets a flu shot are they getting the one for the most-likely flu type?
Forrester replied "Yes, the flu shot this year seems to be very effective."
Next Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is classified as a Research 1 institution by the Carnegie Commission and is ranked in the National Science Foundation's Top-35 public research universities. UC's graduate students and faculty investigate problems and innovate solutions with real-world impact. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
‘Designer drug’ shows early neuroprotective signal in acute ischemic stroke
October 28, 2025
Medscape highlighted new trial results led by the University of Cincinnati's Eva Mistry that found an experimental drug shows promise in protecting injured brain cells for patients with acute ischemic stroke.
Is menstrual fluid ‘the most overlooked opportunity’ in women’s health?
October 27, 2025
The Guardian recently reported that period blood has long been thought of as ‘stinky and useless’, but startups are exploring using the fluid to test for a wide range of health conditions — including endometriosis.
What is squalane, and how does it work to moisturize skin?
October 27, 2025
The University of Cincinnati's Kelly Dobos was featured in a Women's Health article discussing squalane, an ingredient being increasingly used in moisturizing skincare products.