Even though the flu season has gotten off to a slow start this year, cases have begun to pop up throughout the country. According to a report by Today, there have been 528 confirmed cases of the flu at the University of Michigan. The school counted 198 cases in the last week of October and 313 cases in the first week of November. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are currently investigating the outbreak.
In a statement, the university said that more than 77% of the cases occurred in people who were not vaccinated against the flu. Lindsey Mortensen, Medical Directo and Acting Executive Director of the University Health Service said, “Through prompt detection and collaboration with county and state health officials, as well as School of Public Health and Michigan Medicine researchers, we quickly identified these cases as influenza A(H3N2) virus infections. Partnering with the CDC will accelerate our understanding of how this flu season may unfold regionally and nationally in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Last year’s flu season was very mild, but it wasn’t only due to social distancing or masking. CDC data shows that “higher than usual vaccination rates also played a role.” With the majority of the confirmed cases at the University of Michigan being those who haven’t gotten their flu vaccine, this shows the efficacy and importance of getting the flu vaccine. Based on the Today report, early data indicates “that vaccination rates are lagging among children and pregnant people, some of the most vulnerable to severe flu.” The CDC also reported that “more than 90% of flu cases detected so far this season are among children and young adults, and most are H3N2,” which is the outbreak strain that hit the University of Michigan.
The CDC has been urging people to get vaccinated ahead of this year’s flu season, and they are even encouraging people to get a COVID-19 vaccine and flu vaccine at the same appointment.