Thursday, January 10, 2013

Mayor of Boston Declares a Public Health Emergency Over the Flu

The mayor of Boston has declared a public health emergency in the city over the high levels of flu like illnesses that have been reported. The seven hundred cases that have been confirmed in the city are ten times as many as those confirmed during last year's entire flu season.
(source)

The CDC has reported that forty one states also have widespread flu activity. While flu levels are usually higher later in the year, flu season appears to have started early this year as current levels are already as high as the peak levels in previous years. Experts have said that this is only week five of the twelve week flu season and the flu levels are set to increase even more. A map showing the level of flu intensity in each state can be found here.

(source)


Although there have been reported shortages in flu vaccines around the country, there are many other easy ways to avoid getting the flu this year. By washing your hands often and avoiding touching your face, you can reduce your chance of getting the flu dramatically. If you do end up getting the flu, then please, do your classmates and teachers a favor by staying at home until you are no longer contagious.

What do you think about the mayor of Boston declaring a public health emergency? Do you think that the flu is going to be a serious problem this year or is it just being blown out of proportion again?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Flu, a health emergency? I want to laugh, but at least he's looking out for everyone's health. And, at least it's all the way across the US from us, so maybe we don't all break out in flu too.

Eavan Huth said...

It's difficult to say whether or not this is getting blown out of proportion because the "flu map" and other sources certainly suggest that the problem is a large one, but as Tina was saying (and laughing about) it is the flu--pretty common and largely adapted to. It is scary to think that the virus grows stronger as the medication we make for it does, however, but hopefully in this age of medicine there will never come a time when we can no longer keep up.