Flu season didn't ease in this year — it arrived. In the week of October 4, Allegheny County counted 107 flu infections. The same week last year? Six. I'm a nurse here in the Pittsburgh area, and that number is why this post exists. The season runs October to March, and it's already moving.
First: get the shot
The flu shot is the best protection there is — full stop, and I'll say it before anything about my own business. Get it every fall. Then the unglamorous basics that actually move the needle: sleep like it matters (it does), wash hands often, and wipe down the shared surfaces everyone touches.
When you're down
Fever burns through fluids fast. Small sips, often, and rest — rest is the treatment, not a reward for finishing it. If one person in the house is down, treat it as contagious, because it is: their own cup and towel, a window cracked when you can, hands washed after every tissue run. Know the warning signs, though: trouble breathing, confusion, or being unable to keep fluids down for 24 hours means get medical care right away. Don't wait those out.
Where does a nurse with an IV fit? Only in the support role, honestly labeled: when fluids won't stay down, IV fluids support hydration at home, where you already are. Our Immunity drip is $319 and straight IV Hydration is $199 — both start with screening and a Good Faith Exam. Neither prevents flu, and neither treats it. That's the shot's job and your doctor's job. Ours is hydration, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., every day. (Source: Allegheny County Health Department data, October 2026.)
More on how we handle the season is on our Flu Season page.
— Mercedes Denham, RN Book at swanhydration.com or call/text 412-312-4707.
