After two perilous winters soaring COVID-19 (new coronavirus infectious disease)and that’s the last news you’ll want to hear — flu season is coming early this year and could be the worst in years.
The latest data show that flu hospitalizations are increasing faster this year than in the last decade. federal health dataThis is in line with predictors that include Southern Hemisphere data that often serve as a preview of the northern hemisphere flu season.
“We saw flu season in australia For the summer of 2022 (their winter), this was a harbinger that our flu season could get worse.
According to Gandhi, one of the biggest drivers of influenza activity is likely the so-called ‘immune debt’. Due to school closures and masks, fewer people have been exposed to the flu in the past two years than in previous years. However, this winter is different, as people leave their masks at home and gather indoors more freely, leading to the spread of infection. This means that the immune system is not as ready to eliminate the virus as it is in a normal year, and infections that cause serious illness will increase, or at least stay around longer until detected.
About 7.9% of California flu tests came back positive. October 23rdState data showed a positive rate of 0.3% for the same period last year. Overall incidence is relatively low in the Bay Area and higher in the southern part of the state, Stanford infectious disease experts say. Dr. Abrar Karanbut “this could change soon.”
There are also some signs that fewer people are getting flu shots this year, further weakening the population’s immunity. Public health officials recommend that everyone over the age of 6 months be vaccinated against influenza as soon as possible. All three of her experts who spoke with SFGATE said it’s perfectly safe to get the flu and her COVID vaccines at the same time.
Medical experts warn that we will have a serious flu season this winter.
About 7.9% of California’s flu tests came back positive on Oct. 23, according to state data. In comparison, the positive rate for the same period last year was 0.3%.
Future Publications / Future Publications by Getty ImagesUCSF’s infectious disease experts say how well the vaccine works for each individual “depends on the type of flu you get.” Dr. Peter ChinhongFlu vaccines are manufactured months in advance based on infections during the Southern Hemisphere flu season.
It is not known how effective this year’s flu vaccine will be against the most prevalent strains in the United States, but H3N2 is currently the dominant strain in the United States, and the four strains included in this season’s vaccines. One. Higher rates of H3N2 infections have historically led to more severe flu seasons “especially in older adults and young children,” the CDC said. said in a press release.
Despite signs of a relatively quiet COVID winter, experts say the flu season will worsen and the pandemic’s residual effects will combine to strain an already stressed American healthcare system. I am concerned about the possibility.
“Covid still kills 350 people a day in the United States, and that number could rise as COVID cases rise in our communities,” Chin-Hong said.
