This Year's Flu Shot Is Just 36% Effective

It goes without saying that the flu has hit the United States hard this year, and the worst weeks may be yet to come.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just released a statement that this season's flu shot is 36 percent effective — better than doctors anticipated, but still not a great number.

This is shaping up to be the worst influenza season in recent years, and it might still get worse before it gets better, according to the CDC. The flu season frequently extends into May, and it’s only the middle of February.



Check out the numbers below to gain a better understanding of what the 2017/2018 flu season has looked like so far.

36 percent
The percent effectiveness of this year’s flu vaccine, according to the CDC. Though the flu shot isn't perfect, experts say it’s still your best shot at avoiding the flu. (And no, the flu shot will not give you the flu.)

“Getting a flu shot is by far the best preventative measure,” Daniel P. Eiras, MD, MPH, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases & Immunology at NYU Langone Health, previously told Men’s Health. “Even with ‘lower rates’ of effectiveness it saves lives.”

59 percent
The percent effectiveness of this year’s flu vaccine on children under the ages of 8 — this year’s vaccine is working a lot better on kids. So far, 63 children have died from influenza this season. Most of those kids didn’t get their flu shot.

48
Number of states labeled by the CDC as having “widespread” flu activity. Hawaii and Oregon are the only two with lower-tiered labelings, both still with a “regional” flu activity ranking.

$40
The approximate out-of-pocket cost to get your flu vaccine at your local pharmacy.

$15.4 billion
The toll of lost productivity caused by the flu could potentially have on U.S. businesses this year.

1 day before, 5 to 7 days after
The length of time a person with the flu can be contagious outside of the symptomatic period.

51.4
The number of flu-related hospitalizations per 100,000 people of this year’s flu season. That number is higher than it was back during the 2014-2015 flu season at this time.

38 percent
The percent of people who came to the hospital with flu-like symptoms that actually had the flu, according to the CDC. In other words, the majority of people who came into the hospital with flu-like symptoms didn’t actually have the flu.

This number was calculated by looking 4,562 cases across five different sites in the United States of adults and children who came into the hospital with flu-like illness.

710,000
The total number of flu-related hospitalizations during the 2014-2015 flu season, the worst flu season in recent years. Based on current trends, experts predict this year’s season will top that number.

20 weeks
The number of approximate weeks flu season typically lasts. The CDC predicts there are still “several weeks” of increased flu activity to come, flu season oftentimes extending all the way into May.

The bottom line is, the flu is still in full swing, and experts think it’s going to get worse before it gets better. If you think you have the flu, go get tested so your doctors can put you on medication before it turns into something worse — like what happened to this man. If you don’t think you have it, keep up with the proper hygiene and please, get your shot.

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Article source: 

https://www.menshealth.com/health/a18209772/this-years-flu-shot-is-just-36-effective/