Children younger than 5, adults 65 and over, pregnant women, American Indians and Alaskan Natives, those with certain complicating medical conditions, or who care for people most susceptible to flu are considered high-risk.
While the majority of Americans were following the CDC guidelines last fall to prevent the spread of covid19, our efforts also provided us with protection from the common cold and believe it or not, the flu.
After the frequent hand washing, social distancing, staying at home and the mask mandate ramping up last summer to prevent the spread of Covid19, I began to think about how these practices would help prevent other ailments. Typically, each fall we prepare for the common cold and the flu. Most Americans make the decision, each year to get or not get the annual flu shot. Sometimes you get it, other times you don’t depend on whether you hear a story that someone got the flu from the shot itself.
This year the flu was down 99%. October through May is pretty much what we consider flu season and if there is one silver lining in this whole COVID chapter it is that we basically did not have a flu season this year. New Jersey epidemiologists have been tossing the suggestion out there of wearing masks going forward for every flu season even after COVID is in the rear view mirror.