Second wave of flu prolongs 2019 flu season in 10 years



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  • This year's influenza season announces itself as the longest of the decade, 21 weeks so far.
  • A second wave which began in February is probably responsible for 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? Quite right question because – better news – this 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. It did not cause too many hospitalizations, at least not at first, the 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 "does not fit well" with the vaccine, Lynnette Brammer of the CDC said at the AP. This has led to more illnesses and more hospitalizations.

    So yes, we live basically "two different influenza seasons, compressed, remote, one," according to the Today's show.

    Unfortunately, if you caught a strain of flu earlier in the season, you can still catch another one, as Keri Peterson, MD said. 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 senior researcher at the Johns Hopkins Health Center, has already spoken to Women's Health about the flu vaccine. "And even if you make catch the flu, [if you’re vaccinated] you are much less likely to have a serious case requiring hospitalization, less likely to cause major destruction in your life and less likely to spread it. "

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

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