How Much Do You Really Know About The Flu? [Quiz]
We are knee deep in flu season, already wading through piles of used tissues, and empty DayQuil packets. But how much do you really know about the Flu? Test your Flu IQ!
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that everyone should get a flu vaccination this year, not just the young or elderly, because influenza can be unpredictable. Flu seasons can be severe. In the last 30 years, the CDC estimates of flu-associated deaths in the United States range from a low of about 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people.
Here are some Influenza Facts from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital:
- Influenza is the sixth leading cause of death among American adults.
- Each year, about 36,000 people die from influenza, and 114,000 people are hospitalized.
- Influenza is a highly contagious disease that is spread by coughing, sneezing and through direct physical contact with objects that carry the virus such as doorknobs, keyboards, and smartphones.
- About 50 percent of those infected with influenza have no symptoms but are still contagious.
- Immunization is 70-90 percent effective in preventing influenza in health people under the age of 65.
- New variants of influenza arise each year and therefore a new vaccine must be made and given each year.