Flu Nation

The nation has the flu, and we wanted to know why this year people are sicker than years past.  So, NEWS 3's Tristan Tully talked to one doctor about why the nation is sick and how this epidemic could affect us through next year.

 

Despite giving out more than one hundred million doses of the flu shot this year, the nation is sick.  With reports of the flu spreading, we spoke with Dr. Mike Adams about why this year has been one of the worst, "There are these two strains that weren't present when the flu season began and now they are and they're not covered by the flu vaccine.  Less than half of the strains we are seeing now are covered by the flu vaccine."

    

When the flu vaccine is made, the World Health Organization decides which three strains will be included based on research.  But this year, the two strains that have hit Americans hard are new strains of the flu; ones that were first found this past October, "The reason that the virus in the vaccine isn't covering these new strains is basically inexplicable.  These two Brisbane strains of influenza have basically come out of no where."

So now, all three strains in this year's flu shot are going to be replaced for next year's season.  The problem - it takes more than eight months just to grow the viruses, "What this means is that the manufactures are facing a huge setback and they are going to be very hard pressed to produce an adequate number of doses."

Despite the mutating strains, it is still recommended to get your yearly shot.   According to Dr. Adams, next year's flu season isn't going to be any better, "We could potentially by looking at a shortage of vaccine next year and a severe flu season next year as well."

A bit of good news through this flu season, we are told that for Savannah, as for right now, we are right in the middle of where we should be with average flu reports. That means - the epidemic has not been bad here in our area.

St. Joseph's/Candler says they've seen 72 cases in the last week, which they tell us is about normal.

However, Beaufort County health officials say they've seen a significant increase in the number of flu cases in recent weeks.