It’s uncommon for influenza B to hit first in the U.S., which often sees an initial wave of the more dangerous influenza A viruses—the types that can cause a flu pandemic. But the season is far from over in North America: The current spread of a weaker Influenza B could easily be followed by a strain of influenza A.
“Anyone who tries to predict the flu season based on early information doesn’t understand influenza very well,’’ said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. “The case numbers are up early, but it’s such a difficult disease to predict—I don’t think we can say anything about how severe it may be.’’
There is one point of which experts are certain, though.
“Flu is here,’’ Osterholm said. “Now is the time to get an immunization if you haven’t already.’’
The good news is that that components of the flu vaccine chosen for this year, a process done in March and based on educated guesswork, still look like the appropriate choices, Brammer said. “If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, this is a great time to do it,’’ she said. “There is still a lot more flu to come.’’
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.