Status Of Viral Influenza Activity This Season

Status Of Viral Influenza Activity This Season.
Although winter hasn't even arrived, the before signs of flu age have, US health officials said Friday. In fact, Georgia is whereas a sharp increase in influenza cases, mostly surrounded by school-aged children, with the state calling it a regional outbreak sleep. The Georgia cases may be an inappropriate sign of what's in store for the rest of the country once flu season really gets under technique in the winter, officials from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

But there's great news, too: the flu strains circulating so far seem to be a close match 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, skipper of CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said during an afternoon bustle conference chudai. "This plummet has begun like so many influenza seasons, with extent few flu viruses circulating through the end of November".

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

In Georgia, influenza B is the anxiety that is being seen most right now. "The womanhood of B viruses from Georgia are related to the B virus that is in our vaccine, so we expect the vaccine to be a real match against this B strain that is already causing quite a bit of disease". The vaccine is also a competent match for the other flu strains seen so far, including H1N1, H2N2 and the influenza B virus.

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

Many Americans may be heeding the CDC's vaccination information this year. "We are encouraged by the tons of people who have already received the flu vaccine". According to an agency 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 presumably would get vaccinated. That's about the same as at the rear year.

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

Among pregnant women - a categorize hit especially hard by H1N1 last 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 at at record-breaking levels, with more than 160 million doses already distributed.

Speaking at the news conference, Dr Howard Koh, helpmate secretary for health in the US Department of Health and Human Services, said that "flu function is increasing across the country. If you've been thinking about getting vaccinated for influenza, now is a well-mannered time to do so".

The flu is unpredictable and potentially deadly, so everyone should get a flu shot. Koh notorious that under the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, all new vigour 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 nation are hospitalized for flu-related complications here. From 1976 to 2006, estimates of flu-associated deaths ranged from a frail of about 3000 to a consequential of about 49000 people.