The danger posed by the ongoing flu epidemic should not be underestimated. Boston provides a case in point for anyone who isn’t taking this outbreak as seriously as they should. That city has made the move to declare a public health emergency now that at least 12 people have died across the area and an additional 700 instances of an illness have been confirmed. Across the state of Massachusetts as a whole, 18 people have died.
Those 700 illnesses are much higher than the same number of confirmed cases from last year, when only 70 people had gotten sick by this point in time. The Boston Public Health Commission Executive Director worries that flu cases could expand at an exponential rate if recent trends continue.
Doctors across the country promote the administration of a flu shot to limit the risk of exposure. Although only 60 to 70% of flu cases can be prevented by this kind of preventative treatment, the shots can also reduce one’s chances of suffering far more serious complications. Pneumonia or death aren’t as likely to occur if someone submits to a flu shot first.
So even if the chances of flu aren’t completely eliminated by getting a flu shot, this type of therapy should be sought by all who are concerned about their wellbeing and the health of their children.