How does the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) monitor the progress of the flu season?
CDC collects data year-round and reports on influenza (flu) activity in the United States each week from October through May. These reports are available at www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/fluactivity.htm. How does the flu spread? The main way that influenza viruses are spread is from person to person in respiratory droplets of coughs and sneezes. This can happen when droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person are propelled (generally up to three feet) through the air and deposited on the mouth or nose of people nearby. Though much less frequent, the viruses also can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets on another person or an object and then touches their own mouth or nose (or someone else’s mouth or nose) before washing their hands. If I got the flu last year, will I have immunity against the flu this year? In general, a person who is infected with an influenza virus one year will have some immunity to closely related viruses that may persist for one or more years.
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