—Alan Franciscus, Editor-in-Chief
H1N1 is a flu that is quickly spreading throughout
the United States. H1N1 is a dangerous and potentially
life-threatening flu and unlike the regular flu it can affect people of
any age. The flu vaccine is recommend for anyone over 6 months old
and for people with health conditions such as diabetes, and chronic
hepatitis B or C. In 2009, H1N1 caused 12,000 deaths in the United
States. It's not too late to get the flu vaccine, but remember that it
can take a couple of weeks before the vaccine provides protection.
Check out our
fact sheet on influenza written by Lucinda Porter, RN to learn about the symptoms and
ways to prevent the flu. -AF
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The new flu season is ramping up across the U.S. with growing reports
of illness. For the first time since the 2009 influenza pandemic, H1N1
is the dominant circulating flu strain early in the season, according to
Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC says flu activity is increasing nationwide and is already
high in six states: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma and
Missouri.
Read more here... Labels: flu shot