Warning Signs Mount as US Prepares for Potential Flu Season Crisis
As the flu season kicks off in the Northern Hemisphere, global health experts are sounding the alarm about a new strain of influenza that's spreading rapidly across Canada and the UK, prompting warnings of an early wave that could send people to hospital. The H3N2 strain, which emerged in June, has acquired seven new mutations since then, making it significantly different from the strain included in this year's flu vaccine.
"We're seeing a rapid spread of this virus, particularly in some countries," said Dr. Wenqing Zhang, head of the World Health Organization's Global Respiratory Threats Unit. "The version of H3N2 that's circulated worldwide this year is quite different to the one included in the vaccine."
The UK is bracing for what appears to be a brutal winter, with flu cases expected to triple compared to last year. Meanwhile, Canada and Japan are experiencing unusual and severe outbreaks, with Tokyo seeing nearly six times more flu cases than usual just a few weeks into the season.
"These are not good signs," said Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan. "The fact that we're already seeing this level of activity so early in the season is concerning."
As for whether the US has seen any similar outbreaks, anecdotal reports have emerged, but there's currently no comprehensive data to back it up. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hasn't reported on flu activity since September 26 due to a government shutdown, which may further delay the collection and analysis of data.
Even if the CDC reopens soon, Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, warned that the agency's "hollowing out" due to massive layoffs could impact flu surveillance and analysis.
"While we're going to be dependent on state laboratories and academic labs for these investigations, the information won't be as comprehensive or quickly analyzed and communicated from the CDC as it has been in previous years," Schaffner said.
As for this year's flu vaccine, global health officials and manufacturers selected the strains to protect against three types of influenza: two A strains and one B strain. While the vaccine doesn't prevent infection, it can lessen the severity of illness. In a preliminary analysis, the UK's vaccine has been found to be around 40% effective in preventing hospitalization among adults.
Schaffner urged people to get vaccinated regardless, citing decades of data showing that even if there isn't a perfect match with this year's flu strain, vaccination still helps prevent hospitalizations and other severe outcomes.
As the flu season kicks off in the Northern Hemisphere, global health experts are sounding the alarm about a new strain of influenza that's spreading rapidly across Canada and the UK, prompting warnings of an early wave that could send people to hospital. The H3N2 strain, which emerged in June, has acquired seven new mutations since then, making it significantly different from the strain included in this year's flu vaccine.
"We're seeing a rapid spread of this virus, particularly in some countries," said Dr. Wenqing Zhang, head of the World Health Organization's Global Respiratory Threats Unit. "The version of H3N2 that's circulated worldwide this year is quite different to the one included in the vaccine."
The UK is bracing for what appears to be a brutal winter, with flu cases expected to triple compared to last year. Meanwhile, Canada and Japan are experiencing unusual and severe outbreaks, with Tokyo seeing nearly six times more flu cases than usual just a few weeks into the season.
"These are not good signs," said Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan. "The fact that we're already seeing this level of activity so early in the season is concerning."
As for whether the US has seen any similar outbreaks, anecdotal reports have emerged, but there's currently no comprehensive data to back it up. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hasn't reported on flu activity since September 26 due to a government shutdown, which may further delay the collection and analysis of data.
Even if the CDC reopens soon, Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, warned that the agency's "hollowing out" due to massive layoffs could impact flu surveillance and analysis.
"While we're going to be dependent on state laboratories and academic labs for these investigations, the information won't be as comprehensive or quickly analyzed and communicated from the CDC as it has been in previous years," Schaffner said.
As for this year's flu vaccine, global health officials and manufacturers selected the strains to protect against three types of influenza: two A strains and one B strain. While the vaccine doesn't prevent infection, it can lessen the severity of illness. In a preliminary analysis, the UK's vaccine has been found to be around 40% effective in preventing hospitalization among adults.
Schaffner urged people to get vaccinated regardless, citing decades of data showing that even if there isn't a perfect match with this year's flu strain, vaccination still helps prevent hospitalizations and other severe outcomes.
why do i always seem to catch everything when i'm on the go? anyway back to the flu... isn't it weird that they're saying this new strain is gonna be super different from the vaccine but still we should get vaccinated tho? i mean what's 40% effective if its not stopping hospitalizations? 
also can someone explain to me how a government shutdown affects a flu surveillance system lol
they're talking about a new strain of influenza that's spreadin' like wildfire across canada and the uk, and now people are expectin to triple their cases compared to last year?!?! what's goin on?!
we gotta look out for each other, especially the elderly and young kids... they're most vulnerable to serious flu complications.
we need more funding for healthcare, stat!
40% effective in preventing hospitalization? not bad, i guess, but we still need to be careful! 
come on, another flu season is just an excuse for us to eat more soup and drink more hot chocolate 
who needs the vaccine anyway? it's just a tiny percentage effective in preventing hospitalization, like 40% or whatever... that means 60% of people are still gonna end up in the ER with pneumonia 
plus, think about all the money we'll save on healthcare costs by just letting nature take its course... 
. And yeah, I totally get why they're saying it could send people to hospital - my mom had the flu last year and she was out of commission for weeks 
. It was like it had its own little world going on, scavenging for nuts and chasing after bugs. And then I started thinking about how squirrels are basically experts in adaptation - they can survive in all these different environments and still thrive. Which got me wondering if we humans could learn from their example when it comes to dealing with the flu season. Like, maybe we should be more like those adaptable squirrels instead of getting stuck on our current vaccination strategies 
You guys gotta get vaccinated already! I'm seeing so many warnings about the new flu strain spreading like wildfire across Canada and the UK 
. The fact that it's already causing hospital cases is super concerning 
.
. So let's all just get vaccinated and stay safe this flu season, 'kay? 
so let's make sure to get vaccinated, wash our hands regularly, and be kind to each other if someone around you is feeling unwell 
think about it, no data means no one knows whats really going on...
CDC's been shutdown for months and now theyre gonna be relying on state labs to do the work? thats just not ideal 
hopefully people are still taking precautions like wearing masks and washing their hands regularly 