'Severe' flu season could grip US, CDC doc warns

FOX News ^ | December 31, 2014 | Karl de Vries

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

A deadly influenza strain has the U.S. in the grip of what could develop into a "severe" flu season, with widespread cases already reported in 36 states, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expert said Tuesday.

The H3N2 strain, the most common flu virus this season, began mutating shortly after U.S. health experts created this year's vaccine -- rendering it less effective compared to past flu vaccines, Dr. Michael Jhung, a medical officer with the CDC's influenza division, told FoxNews.com.

[cripplecreek]

I’m not out of commission or anything. Just achey, feverish, sweating 1 minute and shivering the next. Persistent cough waking me up all night.

Appetite still fine.

[Baladas]

Wow, hope all of you start feeling better. The CDC is a worthless entity for sure, though.

[laplata]

..... buy vitamin d 3. take at least 2000 iu per day now!

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Yes!

[momincombatboots]

Immunology ping! Ever wonder why people don’t get the flu until the vaccines are administered?

[matthew fuller]

All you need to know about the flu vaccine-

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Shannon Brownlee and Jeanne Lenzer Nov 1 2009, 12:00 PM ET

The history of flu vaccination suggests other reasons to doubt claims that it dramatically reduces mortality. In 2004, for example, vaccine production fell behind, causing a 40 percent drop in immunization rates. Yet mortality did not rise. In addition, vaccine “mismatches” occurred in 1968 and 1997: in both years, the vaccine that had been produced in the summer protected against one set of viruses, but come winter, a different set was circulating. In effect, nobody was vaccinated. Yet death rates from all causes, including flu and the various illnesses it can exacerbate, did not budge. Sumit Majumdar, a physician and researcher at the University of Alberta, in Canada, offers another historical observation: rising rates of vaccination of the elderly over the past two decades have not coincided with a lower overall mortality rate. In 1989, only 15 percent of people over age 65 in the U.S. and Canada were vaccinated against flu. Today, more than 65 percent are immunized. Yet death rates among the elderly during flu season have increased rather than decreased.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2009/11/does-the-vaccine-matter/307723/2/

[Abby4116]

The years that I have had the flu vaccine I have not come down with the flu. The years that the vaccine was in limited supply and I didn't qualify for it, I did get the flu.

The question I have is if the flu that is so common this year is the same as in those previous cycles, would not the immunity to that strain carry forward to this year?

[iowamark]

Frequent hand washing, keeping hands out of mouth, is the best prevention.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/
“CDC recommends a three-pronged approach to fighting flu: get vaccinated, take everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of germs and take antiviral medications to treat flu illness if your doctor prescribes them.”

[acapesket]

I would up that dose of D3 to 10,000 i.u. per day, plus Vitamin K2 helps you to uptake the D.
This statement is NOT brought to you by the Centers for Disease Creation.

[Morpheus2009]

Some of the flu being brought in without a doubt. In fact, it very well may be part of why the experts may be off regarding the predicted strains.

[Klemper]

I am 47 years old and I have never had the flu. I did not get it before 2009. I was required to get the flu shot for the next 4 years 2009-2012) and never got the flu... and after that, I was no longer required to have the shot, and I have never gotten the flu.

[servo1969]

Way ahead of you.

-cough-

[newnhdad]

I remember when fewer people had the flu, it was an epidemic and all the old, young, women and minorities were going to doe because of the evil, uncaring Bush and his evil pharma partners that are in the same circle as the evil weather machine makers that steered the hurricane to nawlins and forced Mayor Nagin to hide the buses so black people would die. or something...

[goodwithagun]

All three of ours (six, three, and 15 months) had bacterial pneumonia. They were all on z-packs. Our doc was impressed with how “well” our children were during this. Other than 24 hours each of fever control we had no issues. None. The only reason we knew is because of the fever. The doc did a chest X-ray on the first just as a crap shoot and it came back positive. When #2 had the same symptoms he ordered a chest X-ray for the same reason although there were no respiratory symptoms. Same with #3.

A few years ago he rolled his eyes when we told him about the supplements we use. Now he has vitacost.com pinned up on the message board in each exam room! D3 and probiotics are awesome. This is the first time he’s seen any of our kids, other than wellness visits, in 30 months.

[editor-surveyor]

.

>> “The CDC is a worthless entity for sure, though.” <<

.
Amen!

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Yeah, the cough is a killer. If you happen to have some Tussin DM, that help a lot. Vicks is a must, too. It’s my new perfume. ;)

[Morpheus2009]

In the MSM, Africa is not in our backyard, so to speak.

[Vendome]

[jimmyo57]

“Barack says, that’s not Ebola, it’s the flu!”

Kinda reminds me of a line from “Rocky” “She’s not retarded, she’s shy!

[goodnesswins]

Vitamin D3...stat...10,000IU a day for at least 3 days

[Mom MD]

I have a news flash for them. It’s already here, and its the worst flu season in the last decade. H1N1 was bad, but nowhere near as widespread as the current outbreak. All the hospitals in our area are full with more patients coming in every day. And noro virus in now in full swing to provide a little comic relief....