Last winter, flu activity broke records in the U.S. And while this flu season is just starting — and it’s already shaping up to be another rough one.
Flu is picking up steam earlier this year than usual, doctors told NBC News this week. Emergency departments are filling up, and kids who didn’t get their flu shots are getting the worst of it, they said.
The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show a nearly 15% increase in positive flu tests from week to week. And there have been three deaths among children due to flu so far this season, the CDC says.
With the emergence of a new flu variant that appears to evade some protection from vaccines, experts are warning that this flu season is likely to be yet another severe one. But there are ways to protect yourself and, if you get the flu, to avoid spreading it to other people.
What Is the New Flu Variant?
The new flu variant is a type of H3N2 influenza A called “subclade K.” It’s highly contagious and has gained dominance in several other countries already, experts told TODAY.com recently. Subclade K has also fueled severe flu seasons in Japan, Canada and the U.K.
While the flu vaccine does contain protection against an H3N2 strain, the new subclade K emerged too late in the season to be included in this year’s shots. That means the vaccines will still provide crucial protection against the most severe flu consequences, but aren’t a great match to this particular variant.
However, the vaccines are expected to be a good match against H1N1 and influenza B strains circulating this season, Dr. Robert Hopkins Jr., medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, told TODAY.com recently.
So, if you haven’t gotten you flu vaccine yet, there is still plenty of reason to do so — and it’s not too late.
What’s the Difference Between Influenza A and Influenza B?
Influenza A and B are two lineages of the same flu virus.
Flu A strains, such as H1N1 and H3N2, tend to cause more severe flu seasons, Dr. Stuart Ray, professor of medicine and oncology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, told TODAY.com previously. And only influenza A strains have ever caused pandemics, he added.
Meanwhile, influenza B only affects humans, which means it has fewer opportunities to mutate and tends to evolve more slowly, Ray said. Influenza B tends to be milder than flu A, but each individual flu infection has potential to be severe, experts said.
Generally, flu A activity tends to spike earlier in the winter respiratory virus season while flu B activity lags a little, experts said. But flu seasons can vary from year to year.
For How Long Is the Flu Contagious?
People with the flu are most contagious in the first three to four days of their infection, TODAY.com explained previously. However, people with weakened immune systems and young children can be contagious for even longer, the CDC says.
Generally, you should stay home (and away from others if possible) until your fever has gone away for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications and your other symptoms are improving, the CDC recommends.
For those who never develop a fever, it’s recommended to stay home for at least five days since the start of your symptoms.
Flu symptoms typically lasts at least five days and up to two weeks. Some symptoms, like a cough, may persist even longer than that.
What Are the Most Common Ways the Flu Spreads?
The flu is a respiratory virus that can spread from either direct or indirect contact with someone who is infected, the Cleveland Clinic explains.
Viral particles can spread in droplets when someone who has the flu coughs, sneezes or talks. Those droplets may land on your nose or mouth, or they can land on your hands or on surfaces in the environment, the Cleveland Clinic says.
The flu can also spread when you touch a surface (like a counter, doorknob or elevator button) that has viral particles on it and then touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
Finally, the virus can spread if you touch the hands or face of someone who has the flu and then touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
Wearing a mask, practicing good hand hygiene, prioritizing clean air indoors and regularly cleaning shared surfaces can all help reduce flu transmission.
How to Avoid Spreading the Flu to Others
If you know or think you may have the flu, there are some important actions you can take to prevent spreading the disease to others.
In particular, the CDC says you should:
- Stay home and away from others until you’re feeling better and fever-free.
- If you must be around others, wear a mask.
- Be sure to cover coughs and sneezes around others.
- Wash your hands frequently.
- Clean shared surfaces frequently.
- Take steps to improve indoor air quality, such as opening windows or using a HEPA filter.
This flu season may be shaping up to be a severe one, but there are still ways you can protect yourself. That includes getting vaccinated if you haven’t already, wearing a mask in public spaces and practicing good hand hygiene by washing your hands frequently and using hand sanitizer.
Taking steps to keep yourself safe also helps keep your family, friends and larger community safe, too.
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