...
By Jasmine Laws
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Almost 20 states are in the highest possible tier for influenza activity, according to the latest report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Based on data running until December 27, 19 states were allocated a Level 13 for influenza activity, while 30 states altogether were in the "very high" bracket, which includes Levels 11 to 13.
The data shows that influenza rates soared nationwide over the course of December, as in the middle of the month only six states were in the "very high" influenza bracket.
Read More on News
"This is very concerning," Neil Maniar, a professor of public health practice at Northeastern University, told Newsweek.
"What we are seeing right now is the impact of a continued trend toward lower vaccination rates and less public education available regarding the flu and other serious illnesses," he said. "It’s critical that individuals get the vaccine, as we have seen this vaccine to be beneficial for certain populations and vital for populations that are at higher risk."
Why It Matters
This also comes as health officials have warned there has been a surge in "super flu" cases—an illness resembling influenza that induces more severe symptoms and from which patients take longer to recover.
What To Know
The 19 states that were in the highest tier for influenza activity as of December 27 were Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Other states that were labeled as "very high" for influenza activity, though not in the highest tier possible, were Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Texas, and Virginia.
Based on the data, a number of the states with "very high" levels of influenza activity were situated in the east of the country.
This could be due to many factors, such as the fact "we are in the influenza season and we have a new strain of influenza A H3N2, subclade K, that is a bit better at evading preexisting immunity," Aubree Gordon, professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan told Newsweek.
"Because of that, more people are getting infected and they may be getting sicker," she added.
Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook Children's Hospital, also told Newsweek that another factor is "the colder temperatures this time of year and the fact that people are indoors."
She added that other factors include the higher population density in some of the cities, as well as the "low vaccine rates and the high susceptibility of our population to the current flu strains."
The reason there was a surge in cases toward the end of December may have been down to the "holiday gatherings," Gordon said. "And it may continue to surge especially as children return to school and transmission occurs there. Kids are typically a major driver of influenza transmission."
While some experts are concerned about the surge in influenza activity nationwide, others say that this is not out of the ordinary for this time of year.
"It’s the usual surge we see when flu cases start their annual upward climb," Nachman said. "We are just seeing more cases this year due to lack of antibody to this particular strain."
What People Are Saying
Aubree Gordon, professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan, told Newsweek: "This isn't out of the ordinary. It is certainly a heavy influenza year, with a higher attack rate and thus lots of cases, but influenza burden varies by year. It is not yet higher than we have seen in recent years, but the season is really taking off and, based on the current trends and experience in other countries, it is looking like it will be a bad influenza year."
She added: "It is still not too late to get vaccinated. Although the vaccine may be less effective at preventing any illness, it will still likely lessen the symptoms if people do get infected. And remember, to stay home if you are ill."
Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook Children's Hospital, told Newsweek: "Each flu strain has its own storybook. This includes how contagious it is, when people are most contagious and when are they hanging out with other people. Remember, most flu strains take three days to start to cause symptoms, but can be as short as one day or as long as a week. So depending on a specific storybook for a specific flu, you can infect more or fewer people when you are early into your illness. By the time that you are sick, you might have spread it to more or fewer people. If it takes three days to show symptoms, you have been to work for those 3 days and continued to go to family and friends homes. If it takes one day, you have cut down on how many people you can spread it to. Another factor is staying home in the early phases of illness. If you think it’s a ‘cold’ you continue to go about your business. But with increased awareness and testing, and identification of ‘the flu’ you are more apt to stay home. By now, everyone is talking about ‘the flu’, getting tested, and hopefully staying home and not infecting others."
What Happens Next
As influenza cases could continue to surge throughout the winter, Nachman advised that Americans "stay home when ill, wash your hands, wear a mask if you must go out, and get tested early," as all of these factors "help contain the flu."
Maniar also said that it's "not too late to get the vaccine."
"In fact, this is a great time to get it if you haven’t done so already because we are still a few weeks away from peak flu season," he added. "Getting the vaccine now will give you time to develop the antibodies needed to protect yourself when the peak flu season arrives."
He also said that Americans should not "underestimate the seriousness of the flu."
"As we have already seen, there are over 11 million cases in the U.S. right now with thousands of individuals who have been hospitalized and multiple deaths," he said.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines