A second "flu wave" makes this season the longest of the last 10 years

• This year's influenza season announces itself as the longest of the decade, 21 weeks so far.
• A second wave that started in February is probably behind the record length of the season.
• It is a harder virus that, unfortunately, is not "well suited" to the strains against which the flu vaccine protects.

Spring allergies or flu symptoms? A perfectly legitimate question, because this new flu season officially lasts for 21 weeks (but who counts?). And unfortunately, this does not seem to stop soon, thanks to a second wave that continues to be strong, according to reports collected and published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The current season has started Thanksgiving week, which is an hour of normal start of the virus. This has not caused too much hospitalization, at least not initially, according to AP reports. In fact, this year's flu vaccine was protected against the strain that had begun to spread.

Then February hit, and with him, a new strain. This one was "not well matched" with the vaccine, said Lynnette Brammer, of the CDC, at the AP. This has led to more illnesses and more hospitalizations.

So yes, we live basically "two different flu seasons, compressed, remote, into one," according to the Today Show.

The symptoms of allergies and flu can be confusing, and now a second, unexpected viral wave is spreading across the country, making this the longest flu season of the last 10 years. @DrJohnTorres explains the symptoms to watch for. pic.twitter.com/Fxk82MSebM – TODAY & # 39; HUI (@TODAYshow) April 25, 2019

Unfortunately, if you contracted an influenza strain earlier in the season, you can still detect another, as Keri Peterson, MD, has already told Women's Health.

Despite a record length, this influenza season is not as deadly as last winter's 19-week hiatus, which killed 80,000 people with the flu and its complications. According to CDC estimates, this year there have been between 35,000 and 55,000 influenza-related deaths.

Oh, and friendly reminder: Just because the vaccine is not 100% [effective] Amesh Adalja, MD, a specialist at the Johns Hopkins Health Safety Center, has already spoken to women's influenza vaccination at Women's Health. "And even if you catch the flu, [if youre vaccinated] you are much less likely to have a serious case requiring hospitalization, less likely to cause major destruction of your life and less likely to spread it.

So, at the risk of looking like your mother … do not miss the flu shot!