I've been looking around the news sights around the country to see what the flu reports are looking like and to me it looks like this is going to be a tough flu season. Two of the trends I see in these news reports are that this strain of flu which is also known as the Swine Flu that everyone was scared of a few years back.
Ok the two trends I see are, the first is that this strain of flu is hitting the portion of the population that normally resists the seasonal flu, and hitting them hard and that is the 20-40 age group composed of healthy adults with no underlying health problems and some have died. Now this is not to say other age groups aren't being affected because they are so everyone has to be careful no matter your age.
The second trend is deaths are happening quickly and very early in the season and that goes for the group I mentioned above also and as I write this doctors are trying to figure out why, for example in the Seattle, Washington area six adults have died and of those 4 had no underlying health problems.
So this flu season seems like it's going to be a tough one and everyone needs to pay attention to what the medical professionals and wash your hands often especially when your out in public, don't touch your face with your hands and ensure your children learn the same, teach them they need to wash their hands often when they are at school.
Most of all EVERYONE should go out and get that flu shot, I do it every year just to be safe and I haven't been sick once with the flu itself since I can remember and I am 47 nor has the flu shot itself ever made me sick. Now I will say this, my wife is afraid of needles and doesn't get the flu shot but in the 14 years we have been married I think she has only been sick twice, however she is a germ phobic person (not to the point of scrubbing her hands to the bone) to the point she keeps our house very clean and ensures everyone in the house hold washes their hands once we come home from being out grocery shopping, the play ground etc.
So as for me I recommend the shot because I have never been sick like I said above, but I want to ensure you that if you don't want to get the shot, if you follow the advice of keeping your hands clean and not touching your face chances are you will make it through the flu season as well unscathed, so to all you out there good luck!!
10News - First flu-related death in San Diego County reported - 10News.com - News
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