The United States might be in for a grueling flu season, based on a troubling forecast that has doctors asking everyone over the age of six months to get vaccinated immediately.
The Centers for Disease Control says that although flu levels across the country are relatively low at the moment, they fear that a serious uptick could be coming shortly. This is based on a bad flu season that Australia just had, which often serves as a precursor to the United States suffering a difficult season as well. The most recent example of this was in 2017 when a severe flu outbreak in Australia was followed by one of the worst flu seasons in recorded history in the US, which claimed the lives of around 79,000 people. Officials are concerned this may happen again and are urging the population to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
The flu season in Australia, which generally begins in June, began two months early than expected this year, and lasted longer than it usually does. This resulted in more flu-related deaths than usual, and has doctors concerned of what may be coming to the United States.
The CDC stresses that even though the flu vaccine is not 100% effective, getting the shot can help you overcome the illness faster and with milder symptoms if you do get sick. Additionally, it is crucial that those who are able to get the vaccine do so in order to keep vulnerable individuals, such as the very young and the elderly, who are unable to receive the vaccine, safe. Officials further urge everyone to wash their hands regularly with soap and water. Doing so can do more to stop the spread of harmful germs than vaccines.
If you care about your safety, the safety of your children, and the safety of others in your community, the time to get vaccinated against the flu is now.
Search for “Increasing awareness and uptake of influenza immunization”. Then go to page 5 of the CDC’s media relations powerpoint presentation, and check out the “recipe”. Be prepared for more hype about how deadly this flu season is going to be.
This article said that washing hands with soap and water can help to stop the spread of harmful germs. Make sure that your children’s school and all shuls have hand soap in the bathroom…and of course in your own home as well.
Also another way to avoid getting sick is to boost your immune system. Giving children soda, candy, and other sugar-laden foods knocks down their immune system and makes it harder for them to fight germs that come their way…including the flu virus.
Perhaps parents can join together and speak to school principals, asking them to not have teachers give out junk candy and soda, etc to their students as prizes, etc.
We are supposed to take care of the health of our bodies and this is one important way that we can do so. Schools should not make it harder to keep our children healthy, bezras Hashem!