There is a deadly respiratory virus spreading through the United States. There have been 29,000,000 cases of this deadly illness. 280,000 people have been hospitalized. 16,000 people have died. From influenza. Also known as the flu. Not coronavirus, the flu.
There are a whopping 60 cases of coronavirus in the United States right now, there are no reported deaths. While it’s still important to know about coronavirus, there are other bigger issues on the homefront this cold season.
Back in high school I remember my friend asking why she needed her flu shot. The flu isn’t that bad. You get a fever, maybe a sore throat, and skip a few days of school. But little did she know that a simple flu shot is a lifesaving measure. In the 2018-2019 cold season alone there were 80,000 people who died from the flu. This year the United States is experiencing a peak in flu cases.
What people tend to forget is that the flu is different for everyone. For a healthy seventeen-year-old with a functioning immune system, the flu seemed like nothing to her. But for people whose bodies aren’t strong enough to even get a flu shot, they really on herd immunity to prevent themselves from getting the flu. Herd immunity is the resistance to the spread of a contagious disease within a population that results if a sufficiently high proportion of individuals are immune to the disease, especially through vaccination. So those of us who are healthy enough to get flu shot, need to do that. Because healthy people may have an immune system that will kick in and you’ll feel better in a couple weeks, but not everyone has that luxury. The flu shot can help prevent serious medical complications for people with chronic conditions. In 2019, 93% of adults hospitalized for the flu reported an underlying medical condition, some of which prevent the person from getting the flu shot themselves. So while you may feel fine and then come down with the flu and go home and stay away from others, keep in mind you can still infect others when you feel healthy. That small window of time could lead to the spread and death of the flu.
Flu shots are free and readily available. Look up areas near you to get your flu shot as soon as humanly possible and get it for every year afterward so long as you’re healthy enough for it. It will save a life.