Scott McPherson's Web Presence

Without excessive comment, please also read the Reveres/Effect Measure superior report on the (still raging) flu epidemic this season.  "Flu season winding down but still with us" details, using graphs, charts and narrative, just how bad this year's flu season has been. 

As I look at the mortality chart and then look at the graph showing what types of flu hit us this season, I see where H3N2 was the worst A, while B seems to have accounted for a significant portion of cases. 

Some wise words from the Reveres:

As in last year's season, the earliest cases were H1N1 subtypes but this switched over to predominantly H3N2 later. Almost 10% of the H1N1 isolates showed a mutation thought to confer resistance to oseltamivir (Tamiflu). No isolates to date have shown reistance to the inhalable antiviral, zanamivir (Relenza).

If you had the flu this year, you'll remember it. It is a nasty disease. If you didn't have it and have never had it, you probably don't give it the respect it deserves. While the efficacy of the flu vaccine provokes debate in some quarters, it is quite a safe vaccine and in our opinion you are better off getting it -- by far -- than not.

Keep that in mind next season to minimize the chance of becoming a point on the epidemic curve, or worse, in the P&I mortality display.