Yesterday I spent time coughing and spluttering into a tissue in the waiting room of a local urgent care facility. Normally, that would have bothered me but since I was one of many in that waiting room dealing with the same symptoms I didn't feel bad. At least about that part of my visit. Yup, it's that time of year, it's cold and flu season and I thankfully do not have the flu.

While I don't have the flu, many of you have it, have already had it, and now for the bad news, even more of you are going to get it. That is if the Louisiana Office of Public Health's projections come true. Doctors with that government agency say there will likely be a second peak to an already active flu season in the state.

Officials with the Office of Public Health speculate that the flu season will once again ramp up in late January and remain a viable health issue in the state until at least the end of February. This is particularly bad news for Louisiana which has led the nation in flu cases since last Fall.

Another issue exacerbating our ill-feeling is the myriad of flu-like illnesses that many health providers are also seeing in patients. The malady doesn't test positive for flu using the standard swab test but I can tell you from first-hand experience the body aches, chills, cough, fever, and overall misery felt just like the flu to me.

Doctors suggest that you get a flu shot now, even this late in the season it can still help you avoid the worst of the worst. Also, remember to wash your hands about ten times more than you normally wash them. And probably the number one rule in flu prevention, if you're sick stay home. We don't need any snot-nosed work heroes taking out half of the office because you didn't want to burn a sick day on being sick.

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