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COVID-19 Pandemic Slowened Influenza Season | Regional News
Boston — Two years ago, the emergency room was overwhelmed by flu patients as the hospital fought one of the longest and most deadly flu seasons of 10 years.
But this flu season was virtually non-existent, public health officials say, hospitalization and death fell to their lowest levels in decades.
The State Public Health Service, which publishes weekly updates on its website, lists the weekly Massachusetts influenza risk as either “minimal” or “low” since September. According to authorities, infection rates and influenza severity are the lowest in five years.
Healthcare professionals say measures taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (face covering, social distance, travel and meeting restrictions) are key factors in reducing influenza infection and other respiratory illnesses. I have.
Dr. David Hammer, an infectious disease expert and professor at Boston University School of Public Health and Medicine, said: “Therefore, not only wearing masks in particular, but also personal hygiene, surface cleaning, reduced density at work, school and public transport, all reduce the risk of infection.”
The milder flu season has also eased the burden on the state’s health care system, which has fought the COVID-19 pandemic, killing about 587,000 people in Massachusetts and killing nearly 17,000 since the outbreak last year.
Health officials say increased influenza vaccination may also be a factor in the low number of infections and hospitalizations.
Massachusetts and other states have taken steps this winter to prepare for the “twin epidemic” of influenza and COVID-19.
In August, Governor Charlie Baker imposed a new rule to vaccinate school-aged children with the flu. The state withdrew its obligations in January because of the mild flu season and the need to focus on fighting the coronavirus.
Massachusetts, like most states, requires students in public schools to be vaccinated against measles, mumps, rubella and other infectious diseases.
This flu season didn’t exist, but the 2018-19 season was one of the longest and most deadly seasons of the years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 38 million Americans became ill, with an estimated 405,000 hospitalizations and 22,000 flu-related deaths nationwide.
A weekly update to the CDC also describes the risk of influenza as “minimal,” and reports that the number of influenza-related infections and hospitalizations is the lowest in decades.
According to CDC data, nearly 100 children died from influenza-related illnesses during the 2018-19 season, but only one child died this season.
Influenza is a contagious respiratory disease. It can cause relatively mild illness in many people, but it can cause more severe illness in others. Toddlers and the elderly are at greatest risk. Symptoms usually include fever, sore throat, body aches, and headaches.
State health officials continue to recommend influenza vaccines annually to everyone over the age of six months, especially pregnant women, the elderly, and children.
Vaccines may not prevent the flu, but the CDC says it can reduce the severity of symptoms and the length of the disease.
Despite the education campaign, many are not vaccinated against the flu. Nationally, only about 45% of adults are shot each year.
Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts State Capitol on the North of Boston Media Group newspapers and website.
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