Flu season has much of the country in a tight grip. Your clients may be rescheduling appointments, or you and your family may have gone through a round with the flu. Here’s the latest we know about it:

  1. It’s a dangerous flu—young, previously healthy people have died from this—but we’ve had worse seasons. This year is identified as “moderately severe.”
  2. While there was some indication the numbers had peaked, the past two weeks showed cases increasing again.
  3. California and Texas were the earliest to suffer and appear to have the largest number of flu cases.
  4. Very young children can be immunized. The minimum age recommendation for a flu shot was reduced this year to six months old; in previous years it was three years old. With children being affected at high rates, it’s a good idea to immunize your kids.
  5. It’s not too late to get a flu shot. While it takes two weeks to build immunity, and this year’s shot is estimated to be only 30% effective, the medical community advises that even if the shot doesn’t prevent you getting the flu it may weaken the virus so you won’t die from it.

 

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