The flu season was virtually unstable this season – with the lowest hospitalization rate since the data was recorded.
Only 165 flu-related hospitalizations were recorded between October 1 and February 6, according to recent information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This is compared to approximately 400,000 people admitted to hospital during the 2019-2020 flu season, who also experienced 22,000 deaths.
“This is lower than the average for this point in the season and lower than the rates for any season since the collection of routine data began in 2005, including the low severity of the 2011-12 season,” the CDC said. said.
With many schools closed, more school children stayed home during the global health crisis, which could likely help stop the spread of flu, NPR reported.
“COVID can be transmitted very easily among adults – very contagious – but I think flu really needs children to spread it among themselves and then sow the adults in their home and their neighbors,” said Dr. William Schaffner. , an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University, told the station the “Weekend Edition”.
“Children are usually considered the right to spread the flu virus,” he added. “They produce a lot more viruses, they shed more viruses for longer periods of time.”
Last year, a record number of people contracted the flu – amid warnings from health experts about the unprecedented combination of the flu season and the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
Nearly 52 percent of people 6 months and older were vaccinated, an increase of 2.6 percent from the previous season, the CDC said.
The mild season is also aided by COVID-19 safety measures, including wearing masks and social distances.
“Flu was essentially unavailable,” Schaffner said.
But he also warned that the flu could come with a vengeance again.
“Many of us have not been given a boost this year to counter the flu virus, and therefore we have not yet had a chance to build up our antibodies,” he said. “It’s all the more important to vaccinate this fall.”