According to the CDC, flu season arrived early this year. The most prominent virus that’s been going around also tends to cause more cases of severe disease and death than other varieties. That said, flu season is likely to be troublesome, so it’s important to know as much as possible about the influenza virus in order to prepare.
The flu, as most know, is a respiratory infection caused by the influenza virus. Anyone who’s dealt with the flu before will know that symptoms include fever, runny nose, coughing, lethargy, muscle aches, chills, headaches, and a sore throat. The prevalence of the virus also tends to spike during the winter, which is why we reliably have “flu seasons”. These epidemics, which occur yearly, cause 3 to 5 million cases of disease and can leave anywhere from 300,000 to 500,000 dead (worldwide), according to the World Health Organization, so influenza is not to be taken lightly.
Although it is a good idea to get vaccinated in order to prevent catching the flu, this year, the H3N2 viruses account for most cases. The problem is that because of the way flu vaccines are manufactured, available vaccines that are matched to these viruses may be less effective. Still, it is a good idea to get vaccinated if you are worried about catching the flu. However, be cautioned, experts do not recommend the nasal spray flu vaccine, based on poor effectiveness.
Click here for much more information on the flu, and flu season 2017-2018.