According to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent CNN, a flu pandemic will be coming in 2017. A pandemic flu means that all people throughout the world will be affected. This implies that a completely new virus will emerge. This is quite different from a seasonal virus which is not particularly severe, because our immune systems have seen a similar flu virus and thus know how to fight it. To read the full article click here.
Currently, the National Notifiable Diseases Survelliance (Australia) is reporting 2 1/2 more flu infections this year, 2017.
Flu related hospitalizations are also up 50%. Influenza A is the predominant circulating strain. The Influenza strain A are the strains that cause pandemics. To read the full article click here.
In Canada we are seeing an earlier flu season with a greater number of cases being reported. H3N2 strain is another concern and although this is included in the vaccine, it is known to cause big problems and its ‘ vaccine had a mismatch two years ago. Click here for more information.
Vaccines versus prevention. Prevention is the first step, but if a person’s immune system is compromised, and especially for babies and the elderly, both prevention and vaccination is critical.
From the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention, to protect yourself from the flu, get the flu vaccine before the end of October. Hand washing and staying away from sick people will help prevent the spread of disease. Staying home from school or work when you are ill is also important.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, preventative measures suggest a warm diet which features soups and lightly steamed vegetables. Avoiding excess sweets, caffeine and fried foods is beneficial. Acupuncture may be administered to boost the immune system. This treatment should be started immediately. To assist with the oncoming threat I will be offering the first treatment free through the month of October, 2017!
Let’s beat this!