Dr Rochelle Walensky admitted Americans should be braced for a bad outbreak
Cases have quadrupled since August in sign flu crisis will hit earlier than usual
Almost half of a San Diego school were off on Wednesday with flu symptoms
And other respiratory illnesses are also spiking way before their typical seasons
Americans should brace for a ‘severe’ flu outbreak this winter, one of the country’s top doctors has warned.
Dr Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said the country was ‘ripe’ for a resurgence because it has low levels of immunity.
Influenza has been largely sidelined during the pandemic due to lockdowns and social restrictions, leaving Americans with little protection against the seasonal bug.
But there are signs the flu is making a comeback as latest data shows cases have quadrupled in recent weeks — months before the virus normally strikes.
Flu season typically runs from late October to May, picking up in December and peaking in February.
But the southern hemisphere – which is normally a precursor for the US – suffered an early and brutal wave during its winter earlier in the year.
There are also concerns about flu vaccine uptake, with just 12million Americans having received the shot so far.
Dr Walensky told NBC News: ‘We’ve noted that flu activity is starting to increase across much of the country.
‘Not everybody got flu vaccinated last year, and many people did not get the flu. So that makes us ripe to have potentially a severe flu season.’
yall stay safe out there
h/t Coastie Patriot