Is ‘Super Flu’ Real?
Subclade K is this season’s new variant
If you and your family escaped the holiday season without experiencing the flu, you’re one of the lucky ones. In its most recent flu report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated so far this season roughly 11 million people have been sick with influenza; 120,000 have been hospitalized and 5,000 people have died, including nine children.
Flu viruses evolve all the time. They have to change to be able to slip past the barriers our immune systems mount. This means the flu shot you got last fall probably doesn’t protect against Subclade K (a variant of the H3N2 family of viruses) as much as experts had hoped. And they believe flu activity could continue for several more weeks.
That’s the bad news.
The good news is Subclade K is not associated with more severe illness, just a lot of cases. And if you did get the flu shot, you are more likely to remain out of the hospital if you do get sick.
What to do if you have the flu
- Contact your doctor – Especially if you’re older (65+), pregnant, diabetic, have chronic conditions (heart, lung, kidney, etc.) as antiviral medicines work best early.
- Stay home and rest – Give your body time to fight it off.
- Hydrate – Drink plenty of fluids like water, broth or electrolyte drinks.
- Manage symptoms – Over-the-counter meds can help with fever and aches, but check with your doctor first.
- Prevent spread – Wash hands often, cover coughs/sneezes, and avoid close contact with others to protect vulnerable people.
While the flu is happening everywhere, your actions should be the same as always:
- protect yourself with medical advice
- get rest
- practice good hygiene
Taking these actions will not only protect you, but will help protect your community, too.
Learn more about Flu in Michigan from Michigan Health Communications Initiative