Flu season's starting to rear its head

Flu season is starting to take hold across the country, and U.S. health officials are urging everyone who hasn't gotten a flu shot yet to get one now. 
"Flu activity is still pretty low, but it's starting to increase," Lynnette Brammer, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Friday.
Although flu is scattered throughout the United States, the hardest hit places so far are New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the Southeast and the Northwest, Brammer said. Most of the virus out there is influenza H3N2, she added. That strain is part of this year's flu vaccine, according to the CDC.
"And this week for the first time, we have data on initial hospitalizations," Brammer said. "The range of hospitalization is still low, however. As you would suspect with a H3N2 season, the highest rate right now is in the elderly."
The overall rate of hospitalizations for flu is about 2 out of every 100,000 hospitalizations. In the elderly it's 7 per every 100,000, Brammer said. Those numbers are in line with the last four to five years of flu data, she said. 
Flu activity will pick up, she said. "We don't know how severe the season is going to be, so there is still time to get vaccinated. And getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself," she said. 
This year's season is starting out much like last year, Brammer said. Currently, influenza H3N2 is the predominant strain, she said, although H1N1 is also circulating. Last year, the H3N2 virus started out as the dominant strain, only to be displaced by H1N1 as flu season hit full swing. "It ended up being an H1N1 season," she said.
"It's similar to a lot of years right now," Brammer added. "Things should start to pick up in the next few weeks, but we'll see. 
      HealthDay

 

Flu seasons starting to rear its head

Flu season is starting to take hold across the country, and U.S. health officials are urging everyone who hasnt gotten a flu shot yet to get one now. Flu activity is still pretty low, but its starting to increase, Lynnette Brammer, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Friday. Although flu is scattered throughout the United States, the hardest hit places so far are New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the Southeast and the Northwest, Brammer said. Most of the virus out there is influenza H3N2, she added. That strain is part of this years flu vaccine, according to the CDC. And this week for the first time, we have data on initial hospitalizations, Brammer said. The range of hospitalization is still low, however. As you would suspect with a H3N2 season, the highest rate right now is in the elderly. The overall rate of hospitalizations for flu is about 2 out of every 100,000 hospitalizations. In the elderly its 7 per every 100,000, Brammer said. Those numbers are in line with the last four to five years of flu data, she said. Flu activity will pick up, she said. We dont know how severe the season is going to be, so there is still time to get vaccinated. And getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself, she said. This years season is starting out much like last year, Brammer said. Currently, influenza H3N2 is the predominant strain, she said, although H1N1 is also circulating. Last year, the H3N2 virus started out as the dominant strain, only to be displaced by H1N1 as flu season hit full swing. It ended up being an H1N1 season, she said. Its similar to a lot of years right now, Brammer added. Things should start to pick up in the next few weeks, but well see. HealthDay