The worst flu season in 15 years has left hundreds of thousands of Americans hospitalized while straining physicians’ offices and emergency departments.

Why it matters: The virus is causing more severe complications and hitting young children especially hard.

"The two predominant strains that are circulating right now are known to be more severe and have more severe outcomes, especially in high-risk patients," said Carol McLay, president of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

Turns out having multiple infections run around wild does not “strengthen” our immune system. Who would have thought /s

  • Stern@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    I’ve caught what I presume is the seasonal flu and it has absolutely put me on my ass. Blowing my nose every 5 minutes, coughing up phlegm, I’ve used so many tissues my trash bin is looking like I’m a teenager who just discovered pornhub. I think I’m past the worst of it, but I took a long weekend and bought a boatload of sick supplies like mucinex, sudafed, chicken noodle soup, and powerade anyhow just to be on the safe side. I’ve got a pretty strong immune system and basically never catch colds, so I feel pretty confident that regular folks that catch it are going to be absolutely demolished by it, possibly hospital time even.

    • FundMECFS@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOP
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      2 days ago

      Sorry to hear that. FYI this is unintuitive but “strong immune system” would mean you would have a worse reaction to the infection.

      People often die just as much because their immune system overreacts to infections, than the infection directly killing them.

      All that stuff, fever, coughing, phelm, is a consequence of your immune system fighting the infection. Not inherent to the infection itself.

      (This is one of my pet peeves, sorry, a strong immune system is just as bad as a weak one, from your life experience it sounds like yours is perfectly balanced).

    • ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.one
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      2 days ago

      I’ve used so many tissues my trash bin is looking like I’m a teenager who just discovered pornhub.

      Such a vivid description that I can see that trash can in my mind with the towering amount of tissues.

      • Stern@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        It looks like you’ve replied to the wrong person as I am in no way sure how your comment is relevant to mine.

        • ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de
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          1 day ago

          No. It was to you. “I’ve got a pretty strong immune system and pretty much never catch colds”.

          So, no school aged kids?

          • Stern@lemmy.world
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            1 day ago

            Considering I’ve been this way since I was a school aged kid, I don’t think it’s relevant.