Has flu paranoia hit your area?

[4th and Long]

Originally Posted by Iowanian

I know we disagree on this topic.....Flu vaccines wouldn't be necessary if so many Elderly, immune deficient and young didn't die or get very ill due to influenza.

Yep.

Influenza-related deaths can result from pneumonia and from exacerbations of cardiopulmonary conditions and other chronic diseases. Deaths of adults aged >65 years account for >90% of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza. In one study, approximately 19,000 influenza-associated pulmonary and circulatory deaths per influenza season occurred during 1976--1990, compared with approximately 36,000 deaths during 1990--1999. Estimated rates of influenza-associated pulmonary and circulatory deaths/100,000 persons were 0.4--0.6 among persons aged 0--49 years, 7.5 among persons aged 50--64 years, and 98.3 among persons aged >65 years. In the United States, the number of influenza-associated deaths has increased in part because the number of older persons is increasing, particularly persons aged >85 years. In addition, influenza seasons in which influenza A (H3N2) viruses predominate are associated with higher mortality; influenza A (H3N2) viruses predominated in 90% of influenza seasons during 1990--1999, compared with 57% of influenza seasons during 1976--1990.

Deaths from influenza are uncommon among children both with and without high-risk conditions, but do occur. A study that modeled influenza-related deaths estimated that an average of 92 deaths (0.4 deaths per 100,000) occurred among children aged <5 years annually during the 1990s, compared with 32,651 deaths (98.3 per 100,000) among adults aged >65 years. Of 153 laboratory-confirmed influenza-related pediatric deaths reported from 40 states during the 2003--04 influenza season, 96 (63%) were among children aged <5 years. Sixty-four (70%) of the 92 children aged 2--17 years with influenza who died had no underlying medical condition previously associated with an increased risk for influenza-related complications.