Author: Kristen Jordan Shamus / Source: USA TODAY
Self-care is important for keeping your spirits up and your body healthy. But even if your self-care routine has gone by the wayside, it’s never too late to start, especially if you come down with the flu. Buzz60
After last year’s most deadly flu season in decades — when fatalities rose to more than 80,000 Americans — health officials are carefully bracing for this year.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared that flu activity from the 2018-2019 season is climbing in the United States. Nationally, 11 children have died this season so far of flu-associated illness.
Four flu-related pediatric deaths were reported to the CDC during the week ending Dec. 22.Nine states are experiencing high flu activity — Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Carolina, according to numbers for the week ending Dec. 22. That’s an increase from the previous week, when Colorado and Georgia saw high flu activity, the CDC reported.
“It’s a little hard to tell this early on how bad of a flu season it’s going to be because it’s usually late January or early February when we reach the peak for the flu,” said Bob Wheaton, a spokesman for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. “Before that, it’s a little hard to tell. We don’t know what it’s going to be like the rest of the flu season.”
Influenza A viruses have been seeing the strongest influence in America since the beginning of October, the CDC said, although influenza B viruses are circulating, too.
Here’s what you need to know about the flu:
Is it too late to get a flu shot?
No, it’s not too late.
“We still are encouraging people to get their flu vaccinations,” Wheaton said….
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