Flu numbers are down significantly this season.
If you look at this chart from the Ohio Department of Health, the blue line shows the 5-year average of the number of hospitalizations and the red year is this season's number of hospitalizations.
The department of health says typically at this point in the season, they'll see as many as 750 hospitalizations; last week, the department reported 6 hospitalizations.
Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff says the safety measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are having additional benefits when it comes to the flu.
“We are much more mindful of hand hygiene, and we're keeping our distance and staying out of large groups, not only when we're sick but all the time. There are lessons that we need to take from this COVID experience when we think of the flu for the coming years,” said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, Chief Medical Officer, Ohio Department of Health.
Dr. Vanderhoff says a typical flu season will begin tapering off in March.