Flu Shot Hype
August is National Immunization Awareness Month. This upcoming flu season is more than likely to one that strikes hard and goes down in record books. Because there are two different strains of the influenza virus, the outbreak is expected to be twice as bad last years. The seasonal flu vaccine technology has come leaps and bounds beyond the old types of vaccines. Scientists are now applying all kinds of new research in developing new ways of conquering the virus.
Before 2003 there was a lot of apathy towards the flu vaccine and its effectiveness. Now that there is so much more concern for the flu, especially with the different strains that have surfaced since, flu shots are in high demand. And with a higher demand in flu shots, comes a lower mortality rate. In 2003 we saw 152 pediatric deaths compared to our the 56 deaths in the 2008 flu season.
