Staff Reports
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention:
Flu activity is high in the United States and is expected to continue for weeks
More than 172.2 million doses of flu vaccine have been distributed
Following is a list of all the health and age factors known to increase a person’s risk of getting serious complications from the flu:
Asthma
Neurologic and neurodevelopment conditions
Blood disorders
Chronic lung disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cystic fibrosis)
Endocrine disorders (such as diabetes mellitus)
Heart disease (such as congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease)
Kidney disorders
Liver disorders
Metabolic disorders (such as inherited metabolic disorders and mitochondrial disorders)
People who are obese with a body mass index of 40 or higher
People younger than 19 years of age on long-term aspirin- or salicylate-containing medications.
People with weakened immune systems due to disease (such as people with HIV or AIDS, or some cancers such as leukemia) or medications (such as those receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer; or people with chronic conditions requiring chronic corticosteroids or other drugs that suppress the immune system)
Other people at high risk from the flu:
Adults 65 years and older
Pregnant women and women up to two weeks after the end of pregnancy
American Indians and Alaska Natives
People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
Children younger than 2 years old (Although all children younger than 5 years old are considered at high risk for serious flu complications, the highest risk is for those younger than 2 years old, with the highest hospitalization and death rates among infants younger than 6 months.
Sources www.CDC.flu.gov; www.hancockregionalhospital.org/2019/01/you-really-should-get-a-flu-shot-heres-why
