Flu season off to earliest start in years
NEW YORK (AP) - Flu season in the U.S. is off to its earliest start in nearly a decade - and it could be a bad one.
Health officials on Monday said suspected flu cases have jumped in five Southern states, and the primary strain circulating tends to make people sicker than other types. It is particularly hard on the elderly.
"It looks like it's shaping up to be a bad flu season, but only time will tell," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The good news is that the nation seems fairly well prepared, Frieden said. More than a third of Americans have been vaccinated, and the vaccine formulated for this year is well-matched to the strains of the virus seen so far, CDC officials said.
Higher-than-normal reports of flu have come in from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. An uptick like this usually doesn't happen until after Christmas. Flu-related hospitalizations are also rising earlier than usual, and there have already been two deaths in children.
It's not clear why the flu is showing up so early.
The last time a conventional flu season started this early was the winter of 2003-04, which proved to be one of the most lethal seasons in the past 35 years, with more than 48,000 deaths. The dominant type of flu back then was the same one seen this year.
One key difference between then and now: In 2003-04, the vaccine was poorly matched to the predominant flu strain. Also, there's more vaccine now, and vaccination rates have risen for the general public and for key groups such as pregnant women and health care workers.
An estimated 112 million Americans have been vaccinated so far, the CDC said. Flu vaccinations are recommended for everyone 6 months or older.
On average, about 24,000 Americans die each flu season, according to the CDC.
Flu usually peaks in midwinter. Symptoms can include fever, cough, runny nose, head and body aches and fatigue. Some people also suffer vomiting and diarrhea, and some develop pneumonia or other severe complications.
A strain of swine flu that hit in 2009 caused a wave of cases in the spring and then again in the early fall. But that was considered a unique type of flu, distinct from the conventional strains that circulate every year.
Health officials on Monday said suspected flu cases have jumped in five Southern states, and the primary strain circulating tends to make people sicker than other types. It is particularly hard on the elderly.
"It looks like it's shaping up to be a bad flu season, but only time will tell," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The good news is that the nation seems fairly well prepared, Frieden said. More than a third of Americans have been vaccinated, and the vaccine formulated for this year is well-matched to the strains of the virus seen so far, CDC officials said.
Higher-than-normal reports of flu have come in from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. An uptick like this usually doesn't happen until after Christmas. Flu-related hospitalizations are also rising earlier than usual, and there have already been two deaths in children.
It's not clear why the flu is showing up so early.
The last time a conventional flu season started this early was the winter of 2003-04, which proved to be one of the most lethal seasons in the past 35 years, with more than 48,000 deaths. The dominant type of flu back then was the same one seen this year.
One key difference between then and now: In 2003-04, the vaccine was poorly matched to the predominant flu strain. Also, there's more vaccine now, and vaccination rates have risen for the general public and for key groups such as pregnant women and health care workers.
An estimated 112 million Americans have been vaccinated so far, the CDC said. Flu vaccinations are recommended for everyone 6 months or older.
On average, about 24,000 Americans die each flu season, according to the CDC.
Flu usually peaks in midwinter. Symptoms can include fever, cough, runny nose, head and body aches and fatigue. Some people also suffer vomiting and diarrhea, and some develop pneumonia or other severe complications.
A strain of swine flu that hit in 2009 caused a wave of cases in the spring and then again in the early fall. But that was considered a unique type of flu, distinct from the conventional strains that circulate every year.
One of the most annoying things I hear related to the flu vaccine is that it can't give you the flu.  While technically this may be correct, at least when you get the vaccine with the dead virus, when you read the side effects, it lists flu like symptoms, and about 90% of people I know who get the vaccine, end up with flu like  symptoms.  So while you may not have the "flu" you might feel like you do, but people tend to freak out on you when you claim to have got the flu from receiving the vaccine.  Something I will never understand I guess.
 @stoneloc Why would you want flu-like-symptoms when you can avoid all that by skipping the shot in the first place. It offers zero protection unless you happen to find that single strain.
 @Jamie   Yeah, I'm not sure!  But it is surprising how many people blindly get vaccinated and don't do any research on side effects and ingredients.  The flu vaccine is one that I refuse to get.  I've had the flu one time in my adult life that I can remember, why anyone would get the flu shot and risk getting flu like symptoms is beyond me.
I absoulutely agree. Flu shots DO NOT WORK.Â
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Try to convince me otherwise, but an apple a day... has always worked.
That is one of the most ignorant statements I've seen yet on this forum.
 @Billy Batts Really? All the people I know that get the flu shot wind up with the flu like clockwork. My wife, myself and a few others in my family that avoid the shot like the plague have never gotten the flu.Â
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Not to mention whatever strain the shot contains is pretty much last years strain and won't protect you from any mutations this time around.. so what's the point?
 @Jamie  @Billy Batts That's because this years vaccine is based on last years Flu Virus and only protects you from the known strains. Since the virus can mutate it will be different. If you get the shot and get a new train your sick, if you get a mutation of the known you might not get as sick. Then there is the whole government mind control drugs but that's another topic...
@Jamie @Billy Batts ..... Jamie, you are so right!!! I have received the flu shot twice, and BOTH TIMES I ended up getting the flu. Haven't had a shot since then (1994) and I've never gotten the flu. I never got the flu prior to that time either but was pressured to do it because of where I worked. NEVER.....AGAIN!
 @Billy Batts My condolences.
@pdxmom After having the flu in 2001 for three weeks I started to get the flu shot every year as early as possible. I haven't had the flu since. Coincidence? I don't think so. This must be Hillbilly Day on this forum....
Don't want to catch the flu? Don't get a flu shot.