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Everything You Need to Know About This Year’s Flu Season
By: Patricia Salber MD, MBA (@docweighsin)
Here is information and stats from the CDC and elsewhere to help answer many of the questions you may have about this year’s flu season.
The 2019–2020 flu season officially started on October 1. Although it is early, we can get some hints of what’s to come by looking at Australia whose winter just ended. The flu season started earlier than usual there and was severe. The vast majority of the cases reported were from Influenza A. The predominant strain was H3 N2 (more on that later).
The Center for Disease Control’s FluView Activity Update tracks flu prevalence data. Currently, they report that the level of flu activity across the U.S. is low. However, deaths have already been reported including a child in California.
It is important to point out that NOW is the time to get your annual flu shot. In fact, the CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a flu shot by the end of October.
To help you get through this year’s flu season, we’ve pulled together the answers to the most commonly asked questions about influenza, its prevention, and its treatment.
