The 2007-2008 Influenza Season

Information from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP):

The current influenza season is "showing signs of becoming a tough one," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported recently.  Influenza activity is now present in 44 states, and some of the circulating Influenza B viruses are different than those which were included in this season's vaccine.  (See the Previous Flu-U Features for more information on the 2007-2008 Influenza Vaccine.)

"Dr. Joe Bresee, chief of the epidemiology and prevention branch in the CDC's Influenza Division, said it's too early to tell if this season will be unusually bad, but so far it is looking worse than the past two or three seasons, which were relatively mild.  Speaking at a news briefing, Bresee said influenza A/H3N2 has become the predominant flu subtype in the United States, and the record over the past 25 years shows that seasons dominated by H3N2 tend to be worse than those dominated by type A/H1N1 or type B."  Read more by clicking here.

In the U.S., the flu season can start as early as November and last as late as May. The CDC reports that during the past 25 flu seasons, months with the heaviest flu activity were: November (1 season), December (4 seasons), January (5 seasons), February (11 seasons), and March (4 seasons).

To Avoid Catching the Flu:

• Hand Hygiene: Wash your hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer frequently.  Influenza viruses can remain infectious on metal surfaces for up to 48 hours, so even if you think you've touched something clean, you might want to think again!

• Hand Awareness: If you are not able to wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer after touching things that may be dirty, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with your hands until you have been able to clean your hands. 

• Try to keep at least three feet of distance between yourself and someone who is coughing or sneezing.  Click here for more information on the "three-foot rule".

To Avoid Spreading the Flu:

• Cough or sneeze into your sleeve at your elbow, or in the fabric of your sleeve near your shoulder.  Coughing your coughs and sneezes with your sleeve, instead of your hands, means that your hands do not get germs all over them.  Then, your hands do not leave your germs on every surface that you touch after sneezing into your hands! For more information on this, click here.

• Wear a mask if you are sick with a fever with a cough or a sore throat.  By covering your coughs and sneezes with a mask, you can limit spreading your germs to the people who are close to you. For more information on wearing a mask, click here.

For more information:

CIDRAP news: http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/general/news/feb1508flu.html

CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on Influenza Activity: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm57e215a1.htm?s_cid=mm57e215a1_e