Former U.S. President Bill Clinton’s experience this week was a reminder of two things about the flu. First of all, it’s now clearly flu season in the U.S. Secondly, the flu can cause some serious problems, potentially life-threatening problems. Therefore, thirdly, it’s important to take flu prevention seriously. OK, three things.
Bill Clinton Was Treated At A Hospital For The Flu
Mistaking the flu for a common cold can be like mistaking a lion for a house cat. The 78-year-old Clinton was admitted to MedStar Georgetown University Hospital on Monday after developing a fever. He was discharged the next day after receiving treatment and being observed. His deputy chief of staff Angel Ureña issued a statement saying the following about the 42nd President, “He and his family are deeply grateful for the exceptional care provided by the team at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.”
Clinton’s age, being over 65 years of age, does put him at higher risk for worst outcomes from the flu. The same is true for younger children, people with a chronic medical condition and anyone else who may have a weaker immune system. But just because you are young and have the immune system equivalent of that Jack Reacher character doesn’t mean that influenza badness including death can’t happen to you. As long as you have lungs and breathe air, you face at least some degree of risk. Plus, even if you don’t end up getting so sick that you need to be hospitalized, you aren’t likely to say that you simply flew by with the flu. an influenza infection.
Flu Numbers Have Been Rising
Clinton has certainly not been alone in getting the flu and landing in the hospital recently. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the current flu season has already resulted in at least 1.9 million people getting sick and 23,000 getting hospitalized. The death tally for the season to date is 970. These numbers certainly aren’t anywhere close to heart of the COVID-19 pandemic numbers. But they aren’t anything to sneeze at either.
Moreover, these numbers should increase significantly in the coming weeks as well. The CDC Weekly US Influenza Surveillance Report showed that 9% of the reported flu test results came back as positive during the week ending on December 14, 2024, which was Week 50 of 2024. That’s up from 5% in the prior week. This means that the current surge in cases will likely peak sometime in January before decreasing. That won’t necessarily mean the worst will be over after that. Flu seasons in the past have had more than one peak when in the
Two Influenza A Subtypes Have Been Driving This Flu Surge
The primary drivers behind this flu surge seems to be two influenza A subtypes. During Week 50 of this year, testing by public health laboratories in different parts of the U.S. found 842 cases caused by influenza A viruses and 29 by influenza B viruses. They subtyped 593 of the influenza A viruses, finding that 274 or 46.2% of them were were influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, 317 or 53.5% were A(H3N2), and 2 or 0.3% were A(H5).
Now, just because you experience flu-like symptoms doesn’t mean necessarily that you have the flu. Only testing will be able tell you whether you have the flu versus a potpouri of other respiratory viruses can cause symptoms resembling the flu including the respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus and human metapneumovirus.
Only testing will be able to determine for sure whether it’s COVID-19 instead. COVID-19 symptoms can be similar to the flu, although the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is sort of like the reality show contestant of respiratory viruses. The symptoms that SARS-CoV-2 can cause are less predictable and span a broader range of possibilities. While flu symptoms tend to emerge suddenly about 48 hours after exposure and immediately get worse before peaking and then improving, COVID-19 symptoms can bounce around in all sorts of patterns. Plus, there isn’t something called long flu that’s comparable to long COVID.
How To Protect Yourself Against The Flu
The best way to prevent bad outcomes from the flu is to, drum roll please, not get the flu in the first place. It really helps to get vaccinated against the flu. It’s still not too late to get the flu vaccine as it takes about two weeks for the vaccine’s protection to fully kick in and the flu season typically lasts until at least the Spring and in some cases as far as May.
Washing those grubby paws you call your hands helps a lot too. I’ve written previously for Forbes about how bad many people are at washing their hands. Remember to wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. The following illustration shows how to do this properly:
Lather up your hands for at least 20 seconds, which is about as long as it takes to sing from the start of the song “I Touch Myself” through the first chorus.
And that six-foot warning that you heard so often at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 still holds for the flu. Respiratory droplets that contain flu viruses tend to be bigger than those containing SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, gravity keep the stuff cougher or sneezed out by someone infected with influenza viruses from traveling more than a Ryan Gosling-distance or whoever your favorite six-footer may be.
If you do get the flu, taking an antiviral like Tamiflu or Relenza may help reduce the severity and duration of your symptoms but only if you take it soon enough. Such antivirals keep the virus from replicating in your respiratory tract. But the biggest amount of replication occurs within the first 48 hours after the initial exposure to the virus.
Finally, don’t listen to those folks claiming that the flu is not big deal, that it’s no worse than the common cold. People may listen to claims that go against scientific evidence but viruses won’t.
