Influenza and the Risk of Death
Post date: Jan 19, 2018 6:16:22 PM
Influenza and the Risk of Death
-by David Zhang and Elvin Li
The flu is spreading across the United States. The Bay Area is hospitalizing thousands of patients that have caught the flu. This season the outbreak of the flu has surpassed flu counts of the past 5 years. At least 42 deaths of people under the age of 65 have been confirmed, 20 of which were children, the others of which were unvaccinated adults.
“I’m kind of scared. The flu could kill anyone that is unlucky enough to catch it.” - Anonymous
In 2009, we faced a similar epidemic in which the flu spread around Mexico, infecting most of the world. Influenza Type A is a very harmful virus that attack your red blood cells and can damage very important organs. H3N2 is a strain of flu that isn’t covered by the flu vaccine and caused over a million deaths in 1968.
H3N2 Flu Virus. A killing machine.
Some tips we recommend is getting a vaccine if you haven’t gotten one. Even though it is ineffective this year, some protection is better than no protection. Wash your hands before eating anything and try to avoid anyone with the common cold as they can be carrying the flu. Do not touch your nose or your mouth in case the flu virus is on your hands. If your doctor prescribes it, take antiviral drugs to help your immune system combat any flu viruses in your body.
The flu comes from animals in which the virus thinks they are in an animal, but when they are really attacking a human. The flu spreads easily between humans because of the airborne droplets they spread due to coughing, sneezing or talking with spit. Viruses in human liquids will try to spread from human to human via anything it can do to get into the next host. Some symptoms include coughing with mucus, chills, fatigue, fever, etc. Try to avoid people that are experiencing these symptoms. We hope everyone stays safe throughout the flu season.