‘Severe’ Strain Of Flu Reaches Epidemic Proportions In New York City

[Purveyor]

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — The flu is currently at epidemic levels across the five boroughs, New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley announced Thursday.

Officials said a full 5 percent of emergency room visits are flu-related.

“It’s a bad year. We’ve got lots of flu, it’s mainly type AH3N2, which tends to be a little more severe. So we’re seeing plenty of cases of flu and plenty of people sick with flu,” Farley told reporters including WCBS 880?s Rich Lamb.

To protect against contracting the flu, Farley urged people to wash their hands and cover their mouths when they cough. And he said the flu shot can still help protect against getting sick.

“Our message for any people who are listening to this is it’s still not too late to get your flu shot. If you haven’t gotten the flu yet and you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, you could still get it,” Farley said.

MORE...

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/01/10/farley-severe-strain-of-flu-reaches-epidemic-proportions-in-new-york-city/

[rbixby]

1. Obviously if more people were armed

We could more effectively fight the flu invader

[graham4anything]

2. So many people refuse to get the shot. I don'tknow anyone who got the shot who ever got the flu

but you need to get it, wait for the immunity to work (and it takes a good number of days)

and not confuse a virus with the flu.

Quack Wakefield should have been jailed forever, for his (very Nader like), telling people lies
and getting them not to do things (again, very Nader like).
why so many people believed the delusional wakefield, I don't know, but he is a clear menace to the world.

[tavernier]

3. I was really surprised to see the Today show hosts -

all of them - getting flu shots yesterday. YESTERDAY. ALL OF THEM.

What planet do these people live on that they did not get their shots in Sept - Nov. Working in a news organization, surely they get some early info on such things as to whether this year's flu will be a bad strain. For Pete's sake, they have all sorts of doctors and lawyers and Indian chiefs working for them.

sigh

Makes me crazy.

p.s. --- The above did not include Lauer who was first in line to get his around August. Good for you, Matt.

[new cappie moon]

4. Why? Vaxxes left, right, up and down!

Walgreens and other stores have clinics, after all! Sicker and sicker...

[hedgehog]

6. Sounds like the vaccine is a good match for what's going around:

Based on that information and the recommendations of the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, the strains selected for inclusion in the 2012-2013 flu vaccines are:

A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus
A/Victoria/361/2011 (H3N2)-like virus
B/Wisconsin/1/2010-like virus.


While the H1N1 virus is the same as what was included in the 2011-2012 influenza vaccines, this year’s influenza H3N2 and B viruses differ from those in the 2011-2012 influenza vaccines.
Vaccination remains the cornerstone of preventing influenza, a contagious respiratory disease caused by different influenza viruses infecting the nose, throat and lungs. This year’s seasonal vaccines will provide protection against the three influenza virus strains that global surveillance indicates are likely to be the most common strains circulating during the upcoming season.

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm315365.htm