CDC: Flu hitting younger populations this season

By Chelsea Rice
Boston.com
02/20/2014

H1N1 was the primary strain of this influenza, commonly referred to as “swine flu.” It was a unique combination virus that had never before been documented in people.

In an interesting twist of good news after a dramatic season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that fear of the pandemic-level flu helped to boost vaccination rates to record levels across the country.

This flu season, the H1N1 virus is back, but it’s not exactly causing a line for flu shots at the pharmacy.

“This year’s flu activity has predominantly been H1N1, the same strain that caused pandemic in 2009, and it hasn’t mutated substantially,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the CDC in a press call Thursday. “It’s back this year and hitting younger people hard.”

The Rest…HERE

This entry was posted on Friday, February 21st, 2014 at 12:51 pm and is filed under Health, Pandemic. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.