According to the report, H1N1 infected around 20 percent of Americans (approximately 60 million individuals) and resulted in approximately 274,000 hospitalizations and 12,000 deaths.  Read the entire report here.

Despite the alarming number of people affected by H1N1 last flu season, there is a real likelihood that the United States will return to complacency in its attitude toward the flu.  This could be because there was a perception that H1N1 was not as serious as it was made out to be, or because the H1N1 vaccine is now part of the regular seasonal flu vaccine.  Nevertheless, H1N1 and the flu as a whole are not something to be complacent about and each year the country continues to face serious health threats.

The flu is often seen as a nuisance, but it is actually very serious. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 1976 and 2007, flu-related deaths in the United States have ranged from a low of around 3,000 to a high of 49,000 Americans each year.

The flu is also costly to companies and businesses across the country as people who get the flu do not come to work, thus possibly costing employers productivity.  In fact, the flu contributes to more than $10 million in lost productivity and direct medical expenses in the United States each year and another $16 billion in lost potential earnings.

Remember, getting your flu vaccine is the single best way to prevent getting the flu this season.

Just ask Luke Duvall, a healthy and athletic 15-year-old who nearly lost his life after being diagnosed with H1N1 last year.  Luke is now a spokesperson for Every Child By Two, which raises awareness about the importance of the influenza vaccine. Luke’s story recently appeared in the LA Times, and while he has made a full recovery from his battle with H1N1, he wonders how different things would have been for him if he had received his flu vaccine.

Read Luke’s personal account here.

Remember: the single best way to prevent getting the flu is by getting your flu shot. It is not too late to get vaccinated and be protected before the height of flu season begins.  There are hundreds of flu clinics across the country and in your area.   Find a flu shot clinic in your area today!

It’s important to know that this is not a change from previous seasons.  Every year, the influenza vaccine is compromised of three strains.  According to the CDC, “the viruses used in making seasonal flu vaccines are chosen each year based on information collected over the previous year about which influenza viruses are spreading and what vaccine viruses would offer the best protection against circulating viruses.”

Last year’s flu season (2009-2010) was not the norm. Because of the emergence of the new H1N1 virus, two vaccines were needed: one to prevent seasonal influenza viruses that were anticipated to spread and another to prevent influenza caused by the newly emerged 2009 H1N1 virus[i]. If the 2009 H1N1 virus had emerged sooner, it would have been included in the seasonal vaccine. That is why we saw a second flu vaccine created last year to protect against the new flu virus[ii].

The ability of the influenza virus to shift to different strains from one season to the next, or even within the course of one flu season, explains why you can potentially get the flu year after year[iii]. This is also why you hear the recommendations to get a new flu shot each year- because you could potentially be infected by a different flu strain that is unfamiliar to your immune system. This is also precisely why it is so important to get a flu shot. It gives your immune system a leg up in protecting you against these new or unfamiliar strains.

Everyone ages 6 months and older is now recommended to receive seasonal influenza vaccine, regardless of past immunization history.  Even those individuals who received monovalent H1N1 in 2009 require a new 2010 seasonal influenza shot for maximum protection.

This flu season, don’t take any risks, protect yourself by getting a flu shot today!

[ii] http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/current-season.htm

[iii] http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/current-season.htm

Last year the H1N1 virus “resulted in substantial illness, hospitalizations and deaths,” according to the CDC. While the virus is not expected to be as widespread as last season, it remains one of the strains likely to infect individuals this season.  Like other years, the best way to protect yourself from flu is through a flu shot. And while last year the H1N1 vaccine was a separate vaccination from the annual seasonal flu vaccine, this year, protection against last year’s H1N1 virus is included in the seasonal flu vaccine.

The CDC has also expanded its recommendations for who should get vaccinated. The CDC now recommends that everyone six months and older get a 2010-2011 flu vaccine to protect themselves against influenza. While people age 50 and older remain a high risk group for seasonal influenza, the H1N1 virus disproportionately affected younger patients in the 2009-2010 influenza season. In fact, the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from July 30 states that “279 laboratory-confirmed, influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported, nearly four times the average reported in the previous five influenza seasons.”

Learn more about seasonal flu and H1N1
Use findaflushot.com’s resource center to learn more about the differences between seasonal flu and H1N1 and find out more information about flu and flu vaccines by reading through these frequently asked questions. Please consult the CDC Web site for additional information on who should be vaccinated and be sure to speak to your health care provider before any vaccinations.

Schedule a flu shot reminder
Need a reminder to get a flu shot? Sign up for a flu shot reminder and receive an e-mail in your inbox reminding you to get vaccinated. Also, check back on findaflushot.com on September 1 to search for flu vaccine clinics in your area for the 2010-2011 season.