Make sure you have your tissues and ginger ale ready—flu season is picking up in Summit County. 

Summit County Public Health tracks influenza activity by the week. According to the most recent report, which ended on Dec. 22, about 3.5 percent of all emergency department visits during that time were for fevers or flu-related symptoms, like coughs or sore throats. There was also an increase in the number of flu-related hospitalizations and antiviral prescriptions. 

Google.org’s flu trends for Cleveland show numbers increasing rapidly in recent weeks and reaching “intense” levels. 

For some tips on protecting yourself from the flu from an area doctor — and for where to find flu shots in Twinsburg — check out this article.