The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that there is very little flu activity this year.
Lynette Brammer, who heads the CDC’s domestic flu surveillance program, is not yet ready to declare victory.
“I’ll hold out for a while longer before I say we’re completely out of the woods,” Brammer told CNN. “Flu can do strange things.”
“At the moment there is no serious increase in flu anywhere in the country. It’s very, very low everywhere, ‘Brammer said.
And 78 children died of the flu at this stage last year. This year, only one death was reported in children’s flu.
“Flu activity is currently extremely low, but may increase in the coming months,” the CDC said on its website.
It would come as no surprise if the precautions many Americans take to prevent the spread of coronavirus also prevent the spread of flu. Influenza and other respiratory viruses, including coronavirus, spread in similar ways – to small particles of mucus and saliva that spit out when people cough, sneeze, talk and even breathe.
These particles fall on surfaces where people can pick them up on their hands or fingers and transfer them to the nose, mouth or eyes. They can also hang in the air and spread in poorly ventilated rooms. Or they can spray directly from some person.
Staying apart, wearing masks and avoiding pressure inside situations can slow down the spread, just like regular hand washing.
“It is likely that the measures taken to slow or prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 have had an impact on the spread of other pathogens, including influenza. Measures, including comprehensive reductions in world travel, telework, school closure, social distance the use of face mask may have played a role, “says the CDC.” Less travel probably played a role. “
Every year, hundreds of different viruses cause flu-like symptoms in humans. These include flu, but also viruses such as adenovirus, rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus, metapneumovirus, and respiratory synthesis virus or RSV. Then there are the common coronaviruses in the garden.
“While flu was very low, all the other respiratory viruses except Covid were also very low,” Brammer said. “There was a little rhinovirus, but it’s about it.”
The CDC stresses the need for flu vaccination, and is now preparing figures on how many Americans have been vaccinated against the flu this season. But every year, it gets only half of the people who need to get flu vaccines. The CDC recommends that everyone get one from the age of 6 months, with a few exceptions.
And it’s not too late to get a flu shot, Brammer noted.
Although there is evidence that in many cases people do not seek the right medical care because they are afraid of catching the coronavirus in a hospital or clinic, or out of concern they will stress an already overwhelming medical system, Brammer believes the test of flu the accuracy of the spread – or lack thereof.
“There’s probably a little higher testing than you would normally see in a low flu season,” she said.
This is good news on more than one level. Doctors were very worried that flu and coronavirus would spread during the winter. People can be infected with two viruses at the same time – and it will be serious. But because flu also puts people in the hospital, it would have meant even more pressure on an already protracted system.
One thing is for sure, says the CDC. Flu can surprise you.
It varies greatly from year to year, and the CDC and infects between 9.3 and 45 million people annually. Influenza kills between 12,000 and 61,000 people annually and places between 140,000 and 810,000 people in the hospital.
Some years the flu season starts early – in September or October. Other years it may come later and only pick up steam in January and February. Sometimes there are two flu waves and often one strain hits early and a second strain later – sometimes as late as April.
Brammer said there is evidence that flu activity is on the rise in parts of Asia, which has reduced coronavirus restrictions.
“If they relax the measures, flu will come back,” she said.
Influenza circulates throughout the year – it is usually only in summer at very low levels, but there are no rules.
“I think I’ll stay on the edge of my seat,” she said. “Flu can start to happen. Keep your eyes open.”