Flu is unusually high right now. The Center for Disease Control says that this season could peak earlier. There are high rates of it in the south, according to the CDC.
So far, the CDC has reported that 4.8% of deaths are attributed to the flu. 6.4% is considered an epidemic. February is typically when the season peaks. Doctors are seeing an increase in visits related to it for over three weeks in a row, according to CBS.
The CDC also said that the vaccine performed poorly the last two seasons and that it’s too early to gauge how it is doing now. However, they still recommend getting the vaccine. At this time, older people are actually not as susceptible to the virus as they usually are, according to CBS.
Flu spreads mainly through cough droplets, according to the CDC. To remain safe from the illness, it is important to always cover your mouth and exercise precaution around other contagious people.
It is especially important for people at risk to be aware of their surroundings. The illness can spread from an infected person before they even know they are sick, according to the CDC. It can also spread 5-7 days after the person even has the illness.
For more information on this unusual rise in cases, read here:
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm
And to learn more about pneumococcal disease, read here:
https://americanmedicalcompliance.com/vaccines-for-pneumococcal-disease/
