Flu Is Back: Experts Previously Claimed Strains Became “Extinct” During COVID
by Steve Watson
CDC says almost 3000 Americans have died of Flu so far this season
After Flu became virtually non-existent during the COVID pandemic, according to health officials, the CDC revealed this week that almost 3,000 people have died in the U.S. from Flu this season.
“Seasonal influenza activity is elevated across the country,” the health agency reveals in its “Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report,” which covers data up til November 19.
“CDC estimates that, so far this season, there have been at least 6.2 million illnesses, 53,000 hospitalizations, and 2,900 deaths from flu,” the report notes.
“CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older get a flu vaccine annually. Now is a good time to get vaccinated if you haven’t already,” the advice further states.
Medical experts claimed that several flu strains became extinct during the height of the COVID pandemic, and CDC data claimed that between September 28, 2020 and May 22, 2021 just 1,675 (0.2%) of 818,939 respiratory specimens tested by U.S. clinical laboratories were positive for an influenza virus.
“For comparison, during the last three seasons before the pandemic, the proportion of respiratory specimens testing positive for influenza peaked between 26.2% and 30.3%,” a CDC report states.