According to the CDC, the flu season is far from over

FRIDAY, Feb. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) – Although much of the US is struggling with the flu, the season has not yet reached its climax, officials said Friday. health.

Since February 2, influenza is prevalent in 47 states and 24 states are experiencing high levels of the disease. In addition, hospitalizations are increasing, according to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Influenza activity continued to increase this week," said Lynnette Brammer, head of the influenza surveillance team at the CDC.

The most common type of influenza remains the H1N1 strain of influenza A. Brammer, however, said the A H3N2 flu rate had increased.

Both strains of the influenza virus are part of this year's vaccine, but if the H1N1 component is 65% effective, its effectiveness is much lower, according to the CDC.

Although we are almost mid-February, the flu season is expected to continue for several weeks, probably until late March, Brammer said.

"There is still a lot of influenza season," she said. "I'm waiting for the activity to continue for several more weeks."

This is why she asks all people who have not yet been vaccinated to be vaccinated against the flu. "It's not too late," said Brammer.

An underestimated benefit of the vaccine is that even if you get sick, your flu will be less severe than if you had not been vaccinated. Less severe flu can prevent complications such as life-threatening pneumonia, especially for the very young and the very old.

Brammer also emphasized that getting vaccinated not only protects you, but also those around you.

According to the CDC, influenza activity is high in New York, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Mbadachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma , Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.

It's still too early to say how tough this season will be, said Brammer. Until now, the season has been much less severe than last year, while the H3N2 virus was predominant. Last year, the flu sent nearly a million Americans to the hospital and killed about 80,000 people.