In the East, flu still packing a wallop
For the first time in three weeks, the national incidence of flu-like illnesses as tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fell below the 7% mark on Friday, suggesting this year's flu season may be packing up and headed for the door.
For the week ended Feb. 17, 6.4% of patient visits reported through the U.S. Outpatient Influenza-Like Illness Surveillance Network were due to ILI. And while that percentage is still well above the end-of-the-season indicator of 2.2%, it's suggestive that this season, too, will eventually come to an end.
That's great news for folks who have been significantly impacted by the flu this year and have been creating runs on everything from over-the-counter symptom relievers to prescription-only anti-virals.
As was indicated Wednesday by the Walgreens Flu Index, flu incidence appears to be moving from West to East, as flu incidence is dropping across many states in the western United States even as it picks up in the Northeast. For the week ended Feb. 17, 39 states were still experiencing high rates of influenza activity. On the East Coast, high rates of flu activity were recorded as far south as Georgia and as far north as New Hampshire.
Even this late in the season, CDC continued to recommend influenza vaccination for all persons 6 months of age and older as flu viruses are likely to continue circulating for weeks and there is an increasing proportion of influenza B and H1N1 viruses being detected. Early estimates show that flu vaccine has reduced risk of having to go to the doctor due to flu by 36% overall so far this season and that flu vaccine is offering substantial protection against H1N1 flu as well as moderate protection against flu B viruses.
In addition, in the context of widespread influenza activity, CDC reminded clinicians and the public about the importance of prompt treatment with antiviral medications in people who are severely ill and people who are at high risk of serious flu complications who develop flu symptoms.
For the week ended Feb. 17, 6.4% of patient visits reported through the U.S. Outpatient Influenza-Like Illness Surveillance Network were due to ILI. And while that percentage is still well above the end-of-the-season indicator of 2.2%, it's suggestive that this season, too, will eventually come to an end.
That's great news for folks who have been significantly impacted by the flu this year and have been creating runs on everything from over-the-counter symptom relievers to prescription-only anti-virals.
As was indicated Wednesday by the Walgreens Flu Index, flu incidence appears to be moving from West to East, as flu incidence is dropping across many states in the western United States even as it picks up in the Northeast. For the week ended Feb. 17, 39 states were still experiencing high rates of influenza activity. On the East Coast, high rates of flu activity were recorded as far south as Georgia and as far north as New Hampshire.
Even this late in the season, CDC continued to recommend influenza vaccination for all persons 6 months of age and older as flu viruses are likely to continue circulating for weeks and there is an increasing proportion of influenza B and H1N1 viruses being detected. Early estimates show that flu vaccine has reduced risk of having to go to the doctor due to flu by 36% overall so far this season and that flu vaccine is offering substantial protection against H1N1 flu as well as moderate protection against flu B viruses.
In addition, in the context of widespread influenza activity, CDC reminded clinicians and the public about the importance of prompt treatment with antiviral medications in people who are severely ill and people who are at high risk of serious flu complications who develop flu symptoms.