If you’ve noticed an uptick in employees calling out sick with flu, you’re not alone.
Flu is, unfortunately, plugging along this February. It’s not totally out of the ordinary – the past two years have seen lots of flu this month, including some double peaks. The good news is that we’re still not seeing numbers quite as high as we did at the height of it in December and early January, but flu is still high across most of the U.S.
One reason for the late-season uptick is the rise of flu B. Earlier in the season, nearly all cases were driven by flu A, specifically a new strain of H3N2. While those still make up the majority of cases, flu B typically tends to pick up later in each season. This year is no different.
Flu A and B are very similar, with the same symptoms and general infectiousness and severity, though flu B tends to be more dangerous for kids.
That’s especially important this year, since last year was the worst in over a decade for pediatric flu deaths, with 280 children dead. Sadly, there’s an increase in severe illness this year, especially among kids. Emergency department visits this week are still above last season’s highs, and a whopping 1 in 6 ED visits among kids are for flu.
Hotspots for flu right now in the South and Northeast, but we’re still seeing it all over. The best thing managers and operators can do is keep your sick employees home until they're feeling better, even if staffing gets tight. Keep the focus on proper handwashing, and stay the course. We’re almost through!
Sources: NY Times, MMWR, Outbreak Outlook
Federal policies under RFK Jr. that are hostile to vaccines have “sent a chill through the entire industry,” one scientist said. The business of vaccine development is fragile, and concerns that new federal policies will curb innovation and investment seem to be proving true.