This past flu season saw an abundance of media coverage as a result of wide-spread fear over several outbreaks of the swine-flu. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, GA were please to announce last week that, despite a lack of media hype, their data indicates that about 1/3 of the population has already received their flu vaccine. Likely, the warnings from last year, along with reports of many deaths, have driven the point home for many.
So far, according to the CDC, incidents of the flu have been low thus far. However, it is important to bear in mind that the peak if the flu season usually takes place during the first three months of the New Year. Clearly we are no out of the woods yet. The CDC is urging virtually everyone to get the flu vaccine this year. The few exceptions to this are infants younger than 6 months.
This year’s vaccine mix, of which an unprecedented 160 million doses have been distributed, contain both the common flu virus as well as the swine flu. So, unlike last year, only one vaccine is needed. Individuals have the option for a standard vaccine injection, or a nasal mist for those with a fear of needles.