Status Of Viral Influenza Activity This Season

Status Of Viral Influenza Activity This Season.
Although winter hasn't even arrived, the earliest signs of flu period have, US haleness officials said Friday. In fact, Georgia is since a acrid increase in influenza cases, mostly among school-aged children, with the declare calling it a regional outbreak musclemax xtreme wonu. The Georgia cases may be an premature sign of what's in store for the rest of the country once flu opportunity really gets under way in the winter, officials from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

But there's satisfactory news, too: the flu strains circulating so far seem to be a secure fit for this season's vaccine and next week has been designated by the CDC as National Influenza Vaccination Week. "Flu is coming," Dr Anne Schuchat, gaffer of CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said during an afternoon hustle conference. "This drop has begun have a weakness for so many influenza seasons, with somewhat few flu viruses circulating through the end of November".

However, last season's H1N1 flu pandemic was very another from what is usually seen and people shouldn't be complacent because flu hasn't roared back yet. Schuchat esteemed that this year's flu vaccine is designed to protest the H1N1 pandemic strain, as well as strains H3N2 and influenza B.

In Georgia, influenza B is the heave that is being seen most uprightness now. "The the greater part of B viruses from Georgia are related to the B virus that is in our vaccine, so we contemplate the vaccine to be a good match against this B strain that is already causing definitely a bit of disease". The vaccine is also a well-proportioned match for the other flu strains seen so far, including H1N1, H2N2 and the influenza B virus.

Schuchat believes that all Americans, exclude children under 6 months of age, should get a flu shot. "I strongly embolden population to get vaccinated to make sure you're protected and to prevail upon sure your children are protected too". Children under 9 years of lifetime may need two doses of the vaccine to be protected.

Many Americans may be heeding the CDC's vaccination news this year. "We are encouraged by the few of people who have already received the flu vaccine". According to an intermediation survey, as of mid-November about a third of Americans had already been immunized. Another 15 percent said they planned to get vaccinated and 25 percent said they quite would get vaccinated. That's about the same as end year.

The highest quota of people who have been vaccinated are those 65 and older, with about 64 percent of vaccinations occurring amongst seniors, according to the survey. In other CDC surveys, the means found that 56 percent of health-care workers reported having gotten their flu shot. Another 7 percent diagram to get vaccinated.

Among productive women - a clique hit especially hard by H1N1 up to date flu season - 45 percent said they had already been vaccinated and another 4 percent said they planned on getting the shot. This year the vaccine is ready at time levels, with more than 160 million doses already distributed.

Speaking at the statement conference, Dr Howard Koh, subordinate secretary for health in the US Department of Health and Human Services, said that "flu pursuit is increasing across the country. If you've been meditative about getting vaccinated for influenza, now is a fair time to do so".

The flu is unpredictable and potentially deadly, so Dick should get a flu shot. Koh noted that under the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, all unknown healthfulness insurance plans will cover flu shots, with no co-pays. According to CDC estimates, approximately 5 percent to 20 percent of Americans get the flu each year, and more than 200000 multitude are hospitalized for flu-related complications erection. From 1976 to 2006, estimates of flu-associated deaths ranged from a lachrymose of about 3000 to a towering of about 49000 people.