ATLANTA, Ga.–Right now there’s no flu in Mississippi, according to the Centers for Disease Control’s weekly flu map. But, last year there was a lot of flu in the state, and it may have been because the vaccine didn’t include the strain that popped up most commonly. This year the CDC says that has been corrected.
And, of course, they are urging you to get your flu shot.
“The vaccine contains protection against a number of influenza viral strains,” said William Schaffner, medical director for the National Foundation for infectious diseases. “So far, as we track influenza viruses this year, the ones that are causing very early disease are exactly as was predicted. So it looks to me that the vaccine is going to be well protected.”
FLU PRESS CONFERENCE
Schaffner said last year’s mistake may not have been a mistake at all, and that the flu virus actually mutated.
“Not only did we have one strain of influenza that caused almost all of the reported flu cases, but it was different than the strain that was represented in the vaccine.”
“Even in a good year, flu will result, in this country, in millions of cases of illness, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands or tens of thousands of deaths,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, head of the CDC.
He said it’s still very important to get the shot.
