The season isn’t over yet but while tragedy continues to strike, the worst may be behind us.
Should you get your flu shot, even though it seems that the season is almost over? Experts are saying, yes. It’s definitely better late than never.
The fact is, the flu can be deadly. So far this year, 84 children have died since last October from the illness. Three out of 4 of those children reportedly had not been vaccinated against the flu this year.
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As of February 10th, 178,040 infections have been reported, and a few weeks are still to come in the season with the potentially deadly virus is still floating around.
What’s out there? It’s a mixture. Experts say H3N2, H1N1 and B viruses abound, with H3N2 being the more dominant strand that deals a harsher blow. This strain has been responsible for more hospitalizations.
Related: Healthy 12-Year Old Dies of Flu in Florida in Just a Few Days
Of course, getting the flu shot won’t give you 100% protection, but it’s better than flying your plane with the cockpit wide open. The vaccine has been found to be 36% effective at fighting off the current circulating flu strains in adults, and thankfully it’s even more effective in children, ranking in at 59%.
Flu activity throughout the country is still high. It doesn’t seem to be getting any worse though, at least for the moment.
Hopefully the worst is behind us. For more information on this year’s flu and to find out how to protect yourself, click here.