COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — After a record-breaking spike in influenza cases across Colorado in late December and early January, health officials and pharmacists are warning residents not to let their guard down as a second wave of flu activity — often driven by influenza B — typically arrives in late winter or spring.
“We always see a spike usually in late to mid-February where we start to see flu cases on the rise again,” said Cameron Phillips, wellness coordinator for a King Soopers Pharmacy in Colorado Springs. “Everyone always thinks December, everyone’s out traveling for Christmas and for Thanksgiving, we see a big spike right around that time due to travel and then people think, ‘Oh, the flu’s over for this season.’ But that’s definitely not the case.”
Phillips, a pharmacist by trade, said February can bring one of the worst surges of the season.
“Sometimes that is one of the very worst for the season,” he added.
Colorado ranked among the top five states in the country for influenza cases during the winter spike, according to data from the CDC. In Colorado Springs, Phillips said pharmacies were busier than the numbers might even suggest.
“It was definitely a very busy season for us,” he said. “We saw a lot of flu cases this year, particularly the flu strain A and the subclade K. We used a lot of Tamiflu going through that season. The flu came on strong and we had a really busy season in our pharmacies.”
Some locations ran low on the antiviral medication oseltamivir, commonly known as Tamiflu, but Phillips said the company worked to avoid shortages.
“We ran low on it at some of our locations, but fortunately, we try to stay ahead of the game,” he said. “We made sure that we had our pharmacies fully stocked with Tamiflu so that we were able to continue to provide that throughout these big spikes during the season.”
Timing is critical when it comes to antiviral treatment, Phillips explained.
“Tamiflu is a timing-based medication,” he stated. “We want to make sure that we get it on board sooner rather than later. That helps to reduce the duration of the illness and can help to improve the severity of the symptoms. So it’s definitely something you want to get on board sooner rather than later.”
Beyond prescription antivirals, pharmacists can guide patients toward over-the-counter options tailored to their symptoms.
“All of our pharmacists are very well educated and experts on over-the-counter medications as well,” Phillips added. “We can definitely help folks to select the correct products for whatever symptoms they might be experiencing.”
To help limit exposure, many pharmacy locations offer walk-up windows and drive-thru service, which Phillips recommends for sick patients.
“There’s nothing worse than having a car full of sick kiddos with the flu,” he said with a smile. “You’re trying to get your prescription for Tamiflu, and you’re going to have to get the kids out of the car, go into the store. We offer these walk-up windows and drive-thrus to really help to kind of keep folks out of the store and to make it more convenient.”
As the season progresses, Phillips said pharmacists monitor state and national flu trends.
“We’re always monitoring the data, especially as we’re moving into the second half of flu season,” he said. “From a statewide perspective, the relative risk is still moderate and there is a chance for that risk to continue to increase."
Despite warmer temperatures, he cautioned against complacency.
“A lot of folks think that one big spike and flu’s over, we’re seeing some warmer weather, not worried about it,” Phillips said. “But it’s definitely not too late to be concerned about the flu.”
It’s also not too late to get vaccinated, he added. While vaccine effectiveness against this year’s strain — including the so-called subclade K variant — has been lower than in some previous seasons, Phillips said vaccination remains strongly recommended.
“The overall effectiveness of the flu shot was less than what we’ve seen previously,” he explained. “However, it’s still strongly recommended, regardless of any other variants that might be circulating. It’s never too late.”
In addition to vaccinations and prescriptions, Phillips said many pharmacies now offer on-site testing for influenza, COVID-19 and strep, with transparent pricing. His pharmacy at 3570 Hartsel Dr. in Colorado Springs just added testing a couple of months ago.
“We can actually test for influenza, COVID, as well as strep on site at our pharmacies,” he said. “Some insurances will cover the services directly. Otherwise, we do offer some competitive pricing for the testing. It’s all upfront inclusive pricing. So you’ll know exactly what you’re being charged for.”
For those wary of testing, Phillips acknowledged that samples are still collected with a nasal swab — though not as invasive as some COVID-19 tests earlier in the pandemic.
“It is a nose swab depending on what we’re looking for,” he said. “It’s not those previous nose swabs like we had during testing for COVID that some people might remember. But yes, we still will have to collect a specimen on site.”
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