More severe strain of influenza begins to spread

In terms of the severity of the season, Brammer said that no flu season is sweet. The severity of the season is simply a comparison between the seasons. "There is no good flu season," she said.

The human toll of influenza in adults – many of whom are frail elderly – is high. So far this year, 22,300 adults have died of the flu, said Brammer, and more than 250,000 people have been hospitalized.

That's still a lot less than the number of deaths last year, which had exceeded 80,000. But the flu is still present, so more people will be hospitalized and die, Brammer said.

If more people were vaccinated, the number of deaths and hospitalizations could be significantly reduced, she noted.

Brammer pointed out that if you get vaccinated but again catch the flu, your illness will be less severe than if you had not been vaccinated. It is also important for people around babies and older adults to be vaccinated against the flu.

"The family vaccination provides a ring of protection around the baby or any other family member at high risk of getting the flu," she said.

The CDC pointed out that all people over 6 months old should be vaccinated against the flu.

Last year, vaccination would have prevented 7.1 million illnesses, 3.7 million medical visits, 109,000 hospitalizations and 8,000 deaths, the CDC reported.

As of February 16, influenza was prevalent in 48 states and 30 states were experiencing high levels of the disease. In addition, hospitalizations are increasing, have discovered the researchers of the CDC.

According to the CDC, the flu is present in New York and in 30 states, including Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mbadachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey and New Mexico. , New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.

If you catch the flu, antiviral medications such as Tamiflu and Relenza can make your condition worse. But if you're sick, the CDC recommends staying home so you do not infect others.