Influenza Scare

Vaccine is the Magic Word

It is no question that the coronavirus is a large threat in our world right now. However, there is also another virus that people, especially in the United States, should be cautious of as well: the influenza. As mentioned in class, the incubation period for this virus is very short, lasting approximately 2 days. In addition, signs and symptoms include a sore throat, muscle ache, and fatigue. Due to the virus’ fast ability to change, vaccines for the influenza are created every year.

According to an article from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), the flu shot for this year is not a strong competitor with the particular flu strain that is going around. The more common strain this year is known as influenza B/Victoria. Type B is known is cause outbreaks. It has been reported that there is a 58% likelihood that the vaccine will protect you from this strain. What I think is really interesting is why this strain of influenza appeared sooner than expected. In recent years, the B/Victoria strain has not been common and so, some people may not have strong defenses against this particular strain. Moreover, children and those who are older and immunocompromised are more at risk with this virus.

It is definitely a challenge to predict which strain of the influenza virus will be the most dominant. While the vaccine may not perfectly align with the strain, it is still crucial that individuals receive this flu shot. As mentioned in class, some protection is better than no protection and I fully backup this statement!

How’s it looking, Doc?

In addition, according to an article from CNN, the strong start that the influenza B/Victoria strain has displayed is definitely a surprise to most people. However, the influenza A strains are beginning to appear more frequently among the world population as well. Influenza A is known to cause widespread epidemics. Since the beginning of the flu season, it has been reported that in the United States alone, the total number of people infected with this illness is more than 22 million. That is a very high number, considering the population of the United States is made up of about 330 million people! In addition, there have been about 12,000 deaths from the illness, with approximately 80 of them being infants or children.

I believe that with two of the most alarming viruses circling around the world, it is important now, more than ever, that people practice good hygiene. Since both viruses are both considered enveloped viruses, something as simple as washing your hands with soap, or even hand sanitizer, can go a long way to protect yourself, as well as others. Knowing that there are microbes on your body that are undetectable by the eye is a scary notion to think about. Doing the activity with Glo Germ and hand washing this past week really put the way I washed my hands into perspective. It is also vital that whenever you feel under the weather, you should avoid going to work, as this may prevent the spread of illness to other people. Now more than ever, good hygiene is the way to go!!