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Yes The Flu Is Bad This Year, But So Is The Whooping Cough And The One With The Explosive Diarrhea
By
Garth Johnston
Published Jan 10, 2013
Modified Jan 10, 2013
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By
Garth Johnston
Published Jan 10, 2013
Modified Jan 10, 2013
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New York City has no plans to follow Boston's lead and declare a medical emergency in the face of the high number of flu cases this year—but not because it isn't an issue. No, that choice is "largely because of concern that doing so would drive mildly sick people to emergency rooms," according to The New York Times. So yeah, you really should probably go and get a flu shot if you haven't already. Especially as some folks have decided to panic anyway. Oh, and did we mention that it isn't just the flu you have to worry about this winter? Days like this we start to feel like Howard Hughes.
While flu cases have been soaring nationwide, the strains mostly going around this year (H3N2, H1N1 and B) are actually covered by the flu shot—which you can get all over the city (here's a map! Or just use the widget on the right! Get one!).
Look, Governor Cuomo got his shot today—months after our billionaire mayor got his. Still hedging on getting one? And aren't elderly or have an already compromised immune system? Maybe this will help: "The predominant flu strain circulating is an H3N2, which typically kills more people than the H1N1 strains that usually predominate; the relatively lethal 2003-4 “Fujian flu” season was overwhelmingly H3N2."
Meanwhile, flu isn't the only problem hitting our nation's immune systems. The Times notes that in addition to influenza-like illnesses "the country is seeing a large and early outbreak of norovirus, the 'cruise ship flu' or 'stomach flu.'" Y'know, norovirus—the one with the explosive diarrhea and projectile vomiting. It's a big problem up north these days and is working its way south: "Cities across Canada reported norovirus outbreaks so serious that hospitals were shutting down whole wards for disinfection because patients were getting infected after moving into the rooms of those who had just recovered."
But wait, there's more! According to the CDC the U.S. is currently in the middle of the biggest outbreak of pertussis in 60 years. Perwhatsis? You probably know it as whooping cough and while it is rarely fatal for adults, the hacking, constant cough and breathlessness it brings is not pleasant (trust us). So far there have been, oh, 42,000 confirmed cases—the highest total since 1955!
Y'all good and scared now? Good, now please cover your mouth when you cough and go get your flu shot.
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