This flu season has been racking up in hospitalizations and deaths in the United States. The CDC has recorded around 8000 deaths so far with about 150,000 people hospitalized. With the new threat of the coronavirus in the US, the flu has been off the radar of most of the population. Although the numbers for this flu season aren’t much different than the recent years, preventative measures are important in staying healthy. One positive aspect of this season is the amount of flu vaccines given worldwide, at 170.3 million. The best way to prevent against the flu is receiving a vaccination.
Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine! The saying goes “some protection is better than none” and this applies to getting the flu vaccine. There are different strains of flu that appear year to year and the vaccines are updated each year according to the projected prevalence of each. The need for new vaccines is due to the antigenic drift produced by the influenza vaccine. This year’s vaccine is prepared to prevent against 2 strains of A virus and two strands of B virus. The influenza B strand has dominated this season. Influenza B is usually more prevalent later in the season, which sets this year apart from past flu seasons.
How to Keep Healthy?
The CDC recommends that you receive the flu vaccine around October. Getting the shot too early can reduce the amount of protection that it would provide in the late season. Another preventative measure to keep yourself healthy is hand washing. The spread of germs can be reduced by washing hands. The influenza virus is spread through respiratory droplets in the air. Preventative measures such as covering your coughs, staying out of crowds, and washing your hands are the second best defense against the flu.
