While it seems that influenza or flu season should be past now that we’re in March, it’s actually still in full swing, according to U.S. health officials, and expected to last for several more weeks.
This year’s flu season has been hitting younger and middle-aged adults unusually hard. The cause – low flu vaccination rates in that age group.
So should you get a flu shot? According to Dr. Tom Frieden, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director, everyone should, no matter how healthy they think they are.
The CDC reported that people 18 to 64 years of age have represented 61% of all flu hospitalizations this flu season. That same age group generally accounts for approximately only 35% during previous years.
He went on to elaborate that seasonal influenza could affect anyone, no matter how healthy they are. It can make them very sick, very fast and they can die from it.
Not only were more people in that younger and middle-age group hospitalized, they also incurred more flu-related deaths. People 25 to 64 accounted for approximately 60% of flu deaths, which is triple the average rate, according to the CDC.
Dr. Frieden elaborated that younger people feel they do not need a flu shot, but this year’s statistics confirm they do. Vaccination has cut the risk of needing flu-related care by 60 percent across all ages. By late fall, only one-third of those 18 to 64 had been vaccinated.
While flu hospitalizations are still highest among the elderly, adults 50 to 64 have the second highest rate, followed by children up to 4 years old.
While the flu vaccine does not guarantee that people won’t get the flu, it statistically has been proven to help prevent it, stated Dr. Frieden.
For more information about getting a flu shot, or if you’re experiencing flu symptoms, contact your health care provider.
Feel free to share this article with someone who may benefit from learning more about the importance of flu shots.
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