The 2018-19 flu season is on us, could last anything between 3-5 months
The Holiday season is here. So is the 2018-19 flu season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have declared.
CDC monitors and analyzes key flu activity indicators every week. After sustained elevated activity is observed across key indicators for a number of weeks, flu season is said to have started.
Influenza (also known as “flu”) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. This page provides resources about flu symptoms, complications, and diagnosis.
Influenza shots have to be taken annually with the strain decided by WHO based on the circulating viruses in a given year.
The duration of a flu season can vary from 11 weeks to 20 weeks. The average of the last few years is about 16 weeks. Over the last three weeks influenza A(H3N2) viruses have been most common in the southeastern United States (HHS Region 4: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee).
In India too this is the flu season but there is less rigorous monitoring of strains and cases. Neither is there a hard and fast designated window for the season with estimates based mostly on empirical hospital reporting for the disease which is not notifiable normally. However in case of pandemics or any other outbreaks when there is a need to take public health measures there is a system of monitoring. Such a system has kicked into place in the past for diseases like bird flu.
Some time back India introduced the Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine in its universal immunisation programme. However influenza shots have to be taken annually with the strain decided by WHO based on the circulating viruses in a given year.
Flu Do’s and Don’ts
• CDC recommends an annual flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older
• More than 166 million doses of flu vaccine have been distributed this season
• Flu vaccine has many benefits and is the best way to reduce your risk of flu and its potentially serious consequences.
