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Butler County has confirmed 262 cases in the last 14 days.

As of September 8, Alabama has added 659 new COVID-19 cases, according to data from the Alabama Department of Public Health.

The state is currently reporting 121,879 confirmed cases with 2,153 deaths – 124 of those being probable.

The seven-day average for new COVID-19 cases still stands at about 617 per day.

According to the ADPH, over the last 14 days the state has confirmed 10,579 new cases with 102,526 people being tested. To date, 980,668 people have been tested.

Additionally, there have been 15,137 total hospitalizations to date and 51,154 presumed recoveries.

To help reduce the numbers in the tri-county area, a drive-up COVID-19 testing clinic will be offered at the Butler County Health Department, 350 Airport Road, Greenville, on Thursday, September 10, from 8:30 until 10:30 a.m.

No appointment is necessary; however, retesting and back-to-school testing are not provided.
Symptoms of COVID-19 consist of either cough or shortness of breath (difficulty breathing) or at least two of the following; fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, fatigue, congestion or runny nose, and new loss of taste or smell.

Patients eligible for drive-up clinic specimen collection must meet these criteria:
Persons with symptoms
Healthcare facility workers, workers in congregate living settings, and first responders with symptoms
Persons without symptoms who have underlying medical conditions or disability placing them at a higher risk of complications or screening of other asymptomatic individuals based on a case by case review and approval by the state health department or local health jurisdiction.

COVID-19 symptoms are extremely similar to other viruses, such as influenza, which is why many doctors are urging people to take care of their flu shots sooner rather than later this year.

State Health Officers such as Scott Harris, say that while getting the flu shot may not prevent COVID-19 – it can still mitigate the burden of flu illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths on the health care system.

“There are many flu viruses, and they are always changing. Each year a new flu vaccine is made to protect against three or four viruses that are likely to cause disease in the upcoming flu season. Even when the vaccine doesn’t exactly match these viruses, it may still provide some protection,” Harris says.

Vaccine facts and options are as follows:

It takes about 2 weeks for protection to develop after vaccination.

Influenza vaccine does not cause flu.

Influenza vaccine may be given at the same time as other vaccines.

With rare exceptions, everyone 6 months of age and older should get an annual flu vaccine by the end of October.

“Vaccination of high-risk persons is especially important to decrease their risk of severe flu illness. People at high risk of serious flu complications include young children, pregnant women, and people with certain chronic health conditions. People 65 years and older are also at higher risk from COVID-19,” Harris says.

Flu and COVID-19 disease share many of the same symptoms, like fever, headache, sore throat, muscle aches, and fatigue, which may make it more difficult to diagnosis and treat.

By getting your flu vaccine, it will reduce the chances of possible misdiagnosis and even worse, getting both diseases at the same time.