GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – A University of Florida student is spreading awareness about the Flu vaccine after her family was impacted by the disease.
UF freshman Kaitlyn Covert’s cousin, Amanda, died of the flu at the age of 4. She didn’t get her shot because 20 years ago children her age typically didn’t.
After her death, Kaitlyn’s family started an organization called “Families Fighting Flu.”
Kaitlyn has been a part of the organization since middle school. “Working with teenagers mostly high school and college-aged students, most of them have a personal connection to the flu whether it be themselves, friends, and family,” said Covert.
Kaitlyn has gotten the flu shot every year, but Hurricane Milton caused a delay in this year’s shot.
As a result, Kaitlyn tested positive for Flu A and B, had a 220 bpm heart rate, and her body went into sepsis.
“I was congested, had a runny nose, my throat was sore and I was coughing a lot. I also had a very, very bad headache” said Covert.
After she recovered physically, she became anxious and depressed leading to a “post-viral depression” diagnosis.
“Here we had Kaitlyn get the flu, where she didn’t get the flu shot and she almost died,” said her mother, Amy Covert. “If they hadn’t got the anti-viral medication into her when they did there was a good chance she could have died”
Now Kaitlyn wants to get the word out about the danger of the flu especially among college students.
“I know it’s very normal to feel run down but listen to your body. If you’re not feeling well go to urgent care, go to the health center, do something, it could be more serious than you think. The doctors told me if I hadn’t gone in when I did I would have probably died,” Covert added.
Kaitlyn is now healthy and wants to use her family’s story to prevent this from happening to others.
The Florida Department of Health reported an outbreak in Gilchrist County last week.
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