Early Flu Season Leads to Deaths of Texas Children

, 10 children had died nationwide as of December 7. Because of the timing of reporting, that only includes three of the six children in Texas. Thirty-eight states are already reporting widespread or regional flu activity.

Another possible factor in these deaths: the early presence of the influenza B virus, which usually appears later in the season. “When influenza B is circulating, there tends to be more mortality,” says Pedro Piedra, MD, a professor of molecular virology and microbiology and of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine.of pediatric influenza deaths from 2010 to 2016 found that the B virus kills proportionately more children than influenza A. The appearance of the flu before widespread vaccination and the more dangerous strain coincided, with deadly consequences.

“Flu activity is at a high level now, and we predict it’ll stay high for a while,” Shuford says. Getting a vaccine right now will still protect you -- and it’s never too late to get one. If your entire family hasn’t been vaccinated yet, Piedra recommends speaking to your doctor. “Make time to get vaccinated, but also have a game plan for if you get flu. Will you need to be treated with antiviral medication? How will you receive therapy quickly?”takes about 2 weeks to become fully effective, but there are things you can do in the meantime to protect yourself. Frequent hand-washing can help, as can disinfecting surfaces and objects that may be contaminated.

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