Flu may be coming back with a vengeance, experts say, and children could be at risk (msn.com) “This might be an early warning system for us that this is the time now to start thinking about influenza,” said Dr. Gregg Sylvester, chief medical officer at Seqirus, a flu vaccine manufacturer headquartered in New Jersey. “If we’re not prepared … we could have a very naïve population and we could see quite high rates.” This year by mid-July, nearly 205,000 cases have been reported and 181 people have died. There have been about 1,500 hospitalizations, with 6.7% admitted directly to the intensive care unit. Natural immunity tends to last a bit longer than vaccine-induced immunity, Pekosz said. After two seasons of historically low flu transmission, most people weren't exposed to the virus and didn't build natural immunity. “The overall immunity in the population is relatively low – particularly in the younger age groups,” he said. “That’s also supported by the fact that usually when we see an early flu season, that means there’s not a lot of immunity in the population.” Just wanted to make sure everybody gets their jabs in time for the pandemic
Thank you for the post FL. It makes perfect sense that natural immunity would be down. Your OP will likely help many vulnerable people. That was your intention right? FWIW, I've never gotten the flu vaccine and I dont know if I've ever even had the flu. I rarely if ever have the severe symptoms you hear about so Im not sure. But I think the medical community getting the word out makes sense.
But it wasn't the medical community, it was the manufacturer of a flu vaccine getting the word out A little self promotion to boost sales
I used to get the flu shot regularly. After all the BS with the COVID-19 shot I am reconsidering all shots. Probably no longer going to get the flu shot.
Wear a freaking mask if you're worried about catching a deadly flu... It's legal and it's the cheapest thing you can do if you have medical conditions that might make you more vulnerable to these viruses. All others... hope you live healthy lifestyles and take the right nutrients daily.
One thing the COVID lockdowns did in 2020 and to some extent in 2021 was prevent the flu from catching on and getting spread.
I had my first, and possibly last, flu shot last year with COVID still an issue.The only reason I got it was because I thought maybe the flu would be running rampant out there. I hate getting sick and to be honest, it's probably been 10 years since I've had the flu. If you feel sick, wear a mask so you don't spread anything. If you have underlying conditions, wear a mask in indoor spaces.
I got the flu for the first time when I was 60ish. Holly crap, probably hadn’t had a fever in 50 years, absolutely kicked my butt. I got the shot Definitely brought about an understanding of how many elderly or those with a weakened system die from it.
