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Influenza takes a year off and returns to Vermont

Influenza takes a year off and returns to Vermont

 


December 13, entrance to the emergency department of the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington. Photo: Glenn Russell / VTDigger

Influenza seems to be resurrected as Vermont supports the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

About one in ten people tested for respiratory symptoms in Vermont had the flu during the week leading up to December 11. It increased from about 3 to 100 in the previous week. According to the Vermont Health Department.

In Vermont, there were virtually no cases of influenza in 2020. Health Commissioner Mark Levine noted higher-than-average influenza vaccination rates and trends in coronavirus control (masking, crowd control, etc.) that helped prevent influenza.

The Vermont flu season usually runs from October to May, but often peaks in January and February.

Influenza recurrence is of particular concern this year as the state fights an unprecedented surge in Covid-19 cases and hospitalization for the highly contagious delta mutation.This weekend, Vermont identified the first case to be much more contagious. Omicron variant.

Much is not yet known about the severity of the disease caused by the new variant, but the proliferation of cases and hospitalization can overwhelm the state’s health care system. In the UK and Denmark, where Omicron has become established, new Covid-19 cases are doubling every four days.

[Looking for data on breakthrough cases? See our reporting on the latest available statistics.]

Face-to-face holiday gatherings, which are the major catalysts for the coronavirus, also create fertile land for influenza infection.This year’s influenza vaccine is also less protective than usual Against the predominant influenza strain It was prevalent in the United States this winter, raising concerns about the “cold” of Covid-19 and the flu.

The flu vaccine may not be able to prevent the infection, but experts say it reduces the chances of a serious illness.
Vermont is fighting the largest coronavirus surge ever. 400 new infections per day, And hospitalizations have increased since the beginning of the holiday season. As of Monday, the state reported 55 Covid-19 patients to the hospital, including 19 in the intensive care unit.

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