Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
<TABLE class=Box_66419081_Tb cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="98%" border=0><TBODY><TR align=left><TD class=Box_66419081_Td width="100%">Posted: Tuesday, 02 March 2010 12:40PM
A somewhat unusual flu season so far
David Blake Reporting
</TD></TR><TR align=left><TD class=Box_66419081_Td width="100%">It's being called one of the strangest Flu seasons in years!
Normally, by this time of year thousands of people are suffering with fever, aches and chills but around the nation things are looking good.
However, Louisiana is still fighting the Swine Flu which has been prevent since last April.
Dr. Frank Welch is state director of Pandemic Preparedness and says that for some reason the seasonal flu is pretty quiet but around here the H1N1, though not rampant, is persistent and keeps hanging around
"We are having a flu season but it's just happens to be H1N1," Welch said.
Listen to Welch talk about this season's flu season:
Welch continues to advise people, especially in the high risk groups, to be vaccinated for Swine Flu.
Why is the seasonal Flu so rare this season? He thinks it could be in part due to the massive handwashing campaign and other precautions people have taken.
"We also have seen some 425-thousand Louisianans vaccinated which certainly can't hurt," according to Welch.
The Centers for Disease Control reports influenza-like symptoms dropped from a high of nearly 8% in October to just 1. 8 % in February.
http://www.wwl.com/A-somewhat-unusual-flu-season-so-far/6478995
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
A somewhat unusual flu season so far
David Blake Reporting
</TD></TR><TR align=left><TD class=Box_66419081_Td width="100%">It's being called one of the strangest Flu seasons in years!
Normally, by this time of year thousands of people are suffering with fever, aches and chills but around the nation things are looking good.
However, Louisiana is still fighting the Swine Flu which has been prevent since last April.
Dr. Frank Welch is state director of Pandemic Preparedness and says that for some reason the seasonal flu is pretty quiet but around here the H1N1, though not rampant, is persistent and keeps hanging around
"We are having a flu season but it's just happens to be H1N1," Welch said.
Listen to Welch talk about this season's flu season:
<!--wr audio code start--><TABLE width=200 background=http://www.wwl.com/pages/wwlnewsready/background-embedded.gif><TBODY><TR><TD width=25>Listen:
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="http://www.wwl.com/pages/wwlnewsready/NoIEActivate.js" type=text/javascript></SCRIPT><!--wr audio code end-->
</TD><TD width=175><EMBED style="VISIBILITY: visible" align=middle src=http://wwl.radiotown.com/audio/wireready/02591_Welch-Interview-3-02-10.mp3 width=175 height=25 type=audio/mpeg loop="false" autostart="false"> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="http://www.wwl.com/pages/wwlnewsready/NoIEActivate.js" type=text/javascript></SCRIPT><!--wr audio code end-->
Welch continues to advise people, especially in the high risk groups, to be vaccinated for Swine Flu.
Why is the seasonal Flu so rare this season? He thinks it could be in part due to the massive handwashing campaign and other precautions people have taken.
"We also have seen some 425-thousand Louisianans vaccinated which certainly can't hurt," according to Welch.
The Centers for Disease Control reports influenza-like symptoms dropped from a high of nearly 8% in October to just 1. 8 % in February.
http://www.wwl.com/A-somewhat-unusual-flu-season-so-far/6478995
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>