health.usnews.com/health-news/article/2013/01/04/flu-cases-rise-across-us-severe-season-feared
This year the flu has a higher percent of people who will infect people across the US. Rhode Island state health department director Michael Fisk thinks this could be the most severe flu season in years. The flu this year is more sever and hit earlier. Although it is a common disease it can still be severe and deadly.
The CDC recommended people receive flu vaccinations. We would most likely not use vaccines if not for the work done by Cotton Mather and Jenner. The two of them received harsh criticism in their day, but thanks to that we are able to live healthier lives. We have advanced from their days in other ways like the way the immunization is given; we have flu shots and nasal spray.
This article is not very controversial. It only gives out information, and some statistics. It also gives out a recommendation about getting vaccinated. If it was in Mather’s day this would have been highly controversial.
I think that the article has good points behind it. It tells people about the dangers of the flu and the symptoms of the flu. It also says the flu is worse this year, I think this part is important because several people would ignore it based on the idea they were fine last year. It recommended people get vaccinated, which is always a good idea, Tom Skinner (spokesman for the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention) said “It’s not too late to get vaccinated”.
The flu is spread across the US this year. On December 22 the CDC said there were high levels if flu in New York City and 16 states (the states were Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia). At this point more states will most likely be added to the list.
This year is more severe than other years. Skinner said “we would expect this year’s flu season would be more severe than last year’s, but how severe it’s too early to say”. Skinner said the dominant strain this year is H3N2 and years with H3N2 tend to be more serious cases in the young and old. Skinner also stated that it is unknown why some flu seasons start early and why some start late.
My parents also got the flu this year, both my mom and dad. It happened during Christmas break, they were too sick to go to our family’s Christmas party and the Christmas Eve party. They mostly coughed and had to stay in bed. My mother was sick longer than my father was.
This article is good it helps raise awareness of the flu this year. In our society were overlook the flu as a casual disease similar to the cold. However we need to be more vigilant about it, according to the CDC about 36,000 people die from the flu or from flu complications. People should get vaccinated to prevent the spread of the disease.
Bringing more attention to how severe the flu can be is a very good thing. It seems every year more and more people ignore the fact that the flu is a major sickness and precautions should be taken to prevent it. People feel like the flu is just another sickness and is something few people get and if you do get it it will be over in a few days. What most people don't tend to realize is that it actually can be deadly and at times it spreads faster than usual. While this year it is getting advertised more to get a flu shot, couldn't the government helped this even more by doing the same advertising every year to raise awareness to prevent major outbreaks like this to happen? If people where told about flu shots every year maybe more and more would get them earlier and never get the flu and stop its spread.
ReplyDeleteTaylor, I see what you're saying about flu vaccinations, and I agree that the government should have a bigger part in advertising the things that will keep us healthy. I do not, though, believe in vaccinating everyone at once just because a vaccine has been created for a new disease. As someone who relies solely on the combination herd immunity and genetics, I don't think that everyone should be pushed to receive this vaccine. Not only could there be unforeseen side effects or possible mutations, but with a disease like the flu, which is changing every year, it's hard to keep up with the demand.
ReplyDeleteIn my own opinion, only those with weakened immune systems, such as the elderly and children, should be vaccinated. It may be a bit controversial, but I don't think that every able-bodied healthy adult needs a vaccine to stay healthy. Instead of pushing these new vaccinations just because they work now(but we don't know how they will effect us later..), the government should be partnering with public health organizations to get people to stop their everyday habits which make them sick, such as sneezing into their hands and not washing them.
Over time, with more exposure to the flu and other diseases, the human populations will grow stronger against it, such as what happened with Smallpox in Europe like we learned about. Just because we have a new way of preventing something which makes us safe now, doesn't mean it will still have kept us safe later.