ST. LOUIS — The flu is the holiday gift everyone is trying to avoid this year. There’s regional influenza activity in Missouri and Illinois according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Doctors across the nation are seeing a lot of Influenza B. That’s the virus that spreads more quickly among young people. But the flu shot seems to be working.
“It worked if it kept you out of the ICU and hospital,” Dr. Krishnan Subrahmanian told 5 On Your Side. “The flu vaccine helped strain A and B. Two versions of Flu A, two versions of Flu B. We actually feel confident in this year’s flu vaccine.”
Doctors remind everyone to cover their mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing. Wash your hands a lot, especially when with large groups of people. If you feel sick, stay home.
Here are flu numbers from around the area:
- City of St. Louis: 44
- St. Louis County: 210
- St. Charles County: 132
- Missouri: 3,246
- Illinois: 6,972