The cold and flu season is upon us and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases has issued a nationwide warning for an illness that potentially affects us all: influenza.
Experts forecasted the 2017-18 flu season to resurge with a sickly force all across the U.S. and now their predictions are coming true.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, during week 52 (December 24-30, 2017), influenza activity increased sharply in the United States. The geographic spread of influenza in 46 states was reported as widespread.
Flu season runs from October 2017 to May 2018 with a peak period being December through March. With the flu hitting North America a little earlier this year, officials are saying that this year’s flu season is off to a potentially dangerous start.
According to the Health and Human Services department, annual hospitalizations from influenza have ranged from 140,000 to 710,000 since 2010 and there is an average of 24,000 deaths per year. Given the forecasts and current FluView report from the CDC, it’s important to get ahead of the flu and prepare using one of the best defenses: hand hygiene.
With 80% of germs transmitted by hand-to-hand contact, keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps we can avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. The Center for Disease Control recommends a six step process for washing hands. It only takes 20 seconds and is one of the best proactive methods to disinfecting your hands this flu season.
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