The CDC warned today that the 2014-'15 flu season could be severe.
This year, the agency said, A H3N2 viruses have been the most common. Flu illnesses tend to be more severe when this is the case, with increases in hospitalizations and death. The CDC has found that roughly half of the H3N2 viruses analyzed this year are "drift variants," or viruses with antigenic or genetic differences that cause them to not align with seasonal flu vaccine. Nonetheless, the agency strongly recommends the flu vaccine because vaccines have been shown to offer some protection against drift variants in the past. They could also provide protection against other flu strains that might become more common as the season progresses.
The CDC is recommending a three-pronged approach to fighting the flu: vaccination; preventive health measures, including staying home from work when sick; and prompt treatment for anyone at a high risk of complications, such as the elderly, pregnant women, children under five and people with asthma, diabetes, heart or lung disease and kidney disease.
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