How Many Die Of Flu In Usa Each Year

How Many People Die From The Flu

The CDC estimates that an average of 36,000 people died of the flu each year over the past decade. The worst recent flu season was 2017-2018, when 61,000 people died from the flu. Around 22,000 people died of the flu during the shorter 2019-2020 season the second lowest death total in the past 10 years, after the 12,000 flu deaths in the 2011-2012 season.

Even accounting for the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has lasted a year instead of eight months, it has taken an average of 36,000 more lives per month when compared to the 2017-2018 flu season.

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How many people get the flu each year? How much does it cost us? How well does the vaccine work?

Here’s a rundown of some important statistics based on the best available data.

5% to 20% — Percentage of the U.S. population that will get the flu, on average, each year.

200,000 — Average number of Americans hospitalized each year because of problems with the illness.

8,200 to 20,000 — Number of people who die each year from flu-related causes in the U.S.

$10 billion+ — Average costs of hospitalizations and outpatient doctor visits related to the flu.

1 to 4 days — Typical time it takes for symptoms to show up once you’ve caught the virus. Adults can be contagious from the day before symptoms begin through 5 to 10 days after the illness starts.

Peak flu season in the U.S.

162 million to 169 million — Number of flu vaccine doses expected to be available in the U.S. for the 2019-2020 flu season.

6 months — The youngest age for which the CDC recommends a flu shot.

Swine flu — A new type that spread worldwide during 2009-2010, causing the first flu pandemic — global outbreak of disease — caused by a new flu virus in more than 40 years. It’s estimated that the pandemic caused more than 12,000 flu-related deaths in the U.S. In contrast to seasonal flu, nearly 90% of the deaths were of people younger than 65.

3 viruses — You get protection from two influenza A viruses and one influenza B virus with the 2019-206 “trivalent” flu vaccine:

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When Is Flu Season

While the influenza virus can circulate year round, the highest peaks occur between December and February.

The virus is known to live longer during the winter months because of the lack of humidity outside.

Since the winter months are when people spend the most time inside, by the virus living longer, it causes more infections versus the spring and summer time when the air is humid and the virus can’t live as long.

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Latest Cold And Flu News

• Seasonal Flu Shots Give Kids Broader Protection

Seasonal flu kills 291,000 to 646,000 people worldwide each year, according to a new estimate that’s higher than the previous one of 250,000 to 500,000 deaths a year.

The new figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other groups were published Dec. 13 in The Lancet medical journal.

The updated numbers, which do not include deaths during flu pandemics, are based on more recent data from a larger and more diverse group of countries than the previous estimate, the CDC said.

The data came from 33 countries that have 57 percent of the world’s population and had seasonal flu numbers for a minimum of four years between 1999 and 2015. That information was used to create an estimate of flu-related respiratory deaths in 185 countries worldwide.

The study found that the risk of flu-related death was highest in the poorest regions of the world and among older adults.

“These findings remind us of the seriousness of flu and that flu prevention should really be a global priority,” study co-author Dr. Joe Bresee, associate director for global health in CDC’s Influenza Division, said in a CDC news release.

Severely Immunocompromised Persons Receiving Live Vaccines

Live vaccine viruses are attenuated so they do not cause infection in individuals with intact immune systems. Live vaccines, however, are contraindicated for people who are severely immunocompromised since their weakened immune systems may result in the live vaccine causing illness. Two published case reports describe immunocompromised children who received varicella vaccine, and where vaccine strain varicella zoster virus infection contributed to their deaths . In one case, a 4-year-old child who had been in complete remission from acute lymphoblastic leukemia for 5 months received varicella vaccine during a 2-week break from chemotherapy in the other case, a 15-month-old did not have a diagnosis of being immunocompromised, but had failure to thrive and several hospitalizations beginning at 5 months of age for infections and respiratory problems requiring steroid treatment , indicating a possible undiagnosed immunodeficiency. There are at least six case reports of death among severely immunocompromised persons that have been linked to vaccine strain measles virus infection , including a case of vaccine associated pneumonitis in an immunocompromised person with HIV and a case of measles inclusion-body encephalitis in a 21-month-old child with primary immunodeficiency . CDC recommends screening prior to vaccination so that contraindications and precautions, including previously diagnosed immune system problems are identified .

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Disease Burden Of Flu

Each year CDC estimates the burden of influenza in the U.S. CDC uses modeling to estimate the number of flu illnesses, medical visits, hospitalizations, and deaths related to flu that occurred in a given season. The methods used to calculate these estimates are described on CDCs webpage, How CDC Estimates the Burden of Seasonal Flu in the U.S.

CDC uses the estimates of the burden of flu in the population and the impact of flu vaccination to inform policy and communications related to flu.

The burden of flu disease in the United States can vary widely and is determined by a number of factors including the characteristics of circulating viruses, the timing of the season, how well the vaccine is working to protect against illness, and how many people got vaccinated. While the effects of flu varies, it places a substantial burden on the health of people in the United States each year.

CDC estimates that flu has resulted in 9 million 41 million illnesses, 140,000 710,000 hospitalizations and 12,000 52,000 deaths annually between 2010 and 2020.

What Are The Differences Between Covid

Though both viruses primarily cause respiratory illnesses, the viruses are not the same. The flu is caused by influenza viruses, of which there are two main types that affect humans: influenza A viruses and influenza B viruses, per the CDC. Influenza A viruses are further categorized into subtypes and neuraminidase , of which there are numerous combinations), and influenza B viruses are broken down into lineages .

COVID-19, on the other hand, is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The virus is technically called a coronavirusand coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that typically cause mild to moderate respiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases . But COVID-19 is one of three recent coronavirusesalong with severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory system that can cause severe illness on a global or very large scale.

The differences between the two illnesses don’t end therehere are a few more ways COVID-19 differs from the flu.

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What Is The Flu

Short for influenza, the flu is a contagious viral infection that infiltrates your bodys respiratory systemthat is your nose, throat, lungs, and sinuses with possible adverse effects on the rest of your muscles and body parts as well.

The CDC has classified the flu into four strains of influenza: A, B, C, and D viruses, each posing a different level of seriousness and contagion level amongst different species.

Influenza A and B viruses cause seasonal influenza outbreaks we see each year. Mutations or minor changes in the genes of these viruses are what lead to their various strains.

While viruses change and mutate all the time, there are certain precautions we can take to keep our bodies safe and healthy to avoid serious complications due to the virus and even flu deaths.

Syncope After Vaccination Leading To Head Trauma And Death

The IOM concluded that the available evidence convincingly supports a causal relationship between the injection of a vaccine and syncope , although this relationship exists for any medical procedure involving a needle stick . In a study on quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine among young women, 15% reported presyncope or syncope after the first dose . Post-vaccination syncope can result in injuries including head trauma. A VAERS case report described an incident of death attributed to blunt head trauma following a fall secondary to vasovagal syncope that occurred several minutes after vaccination with hepatitis B vaccine . Syncope is an acute event that typically occurs within 15 minutes of vaccination , and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices suggests a 15-minute observation period after vaccination, especially if the patient is an adolescent .

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How Many People Die Of The Flu Each Year In The United States

The seasonal flu is a major killer globally and contributes to a rise in mortality rates in the colder, winter months.

The Center for Disease Control estimates that there is an average of 36,000 deaths per year as a result of the flu in the United States.

The highest amount of people ever killed during a single flu season in the US was 61,000.

Each year, there are four different types of flu viruses that people face.

Heart Disease Cancer And Covid

Weekly flu and pneumonia deaths were higher at the beginning of the year during the end of the 2019-20 flu season, though flu deaths were not nearly as high as the 2017-18 season, when an estimated 61,000 died of the flu alone. For comparison, the CDC estimates that 34,000 died in the 2018-19 flu season, and 22,000 died in the 2019-20 season.

Flu cases generally peak between December and February, so it remains to be seen if deaths due to flu and pneumonia will be significantly lower in the 2020-21 season due to increased public health measures in response to the pandemic. However, the CDC continues to report that flu activity is lower than usual. For example, between October 1, 2020 and April 17, 2021, a sampling of sites showed that the cumulative hospitalization rate for the flu was 0.8 per 100,000 people, which is much lower than average.

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Fact Sheet: Know The Flu Facts

The Flu can be a serious disease.

• The Flu is very contagious and can spread quickly and easily.
• Before you even know you are sick, you can pass the flu on to others.
• The flu can affect everyone, including those who are healthy, but people at higher risk of serious complications are:
• young children,
• adults aged 65 and over,
• pregnant women, and
• those living with a chronic health condition.

You need to get vaccinated every year.

• Flu viruses change each year. Experts create a new vaccine to protect you each flu season.

You cant get the Flu from the flu vaccine.

• The viruses in the flu vaccine are either killed or weakened and cannot give you the flu.

The Flu vaccine is safe.

• The flu vaccine has benefited millions of Canadians since 1946.
• Most people don’t have reactions to the flu vaccine those who do may have soreness, redness or swelling at the injection site.
• Severe reactions to the vaccine are extremely rare.

Everybody wins when you get vaccinated.

• By getting the flu vaccine, you protect yourself and others because you are less likely to spread the flu.
• Its a simple action that can save lives.

To learn more and to find out where to get your flu vaccine, visit Canada.ca/Flu

Complications From Smallpox Vaccine

Serious adverse reactions and complications from smallpox vaccine can result in death in rare cases . Based on historical data, the death rate following smallpox vaccination is approximately one death per million persons receiving an initial dose and one death per four million among persons receiving another dose after the first dose . Death has also occurred among non-vaccinated persons who had accidental contact with vaccination sites of vaccine recipients . Reactions that can cause or contribute to death include eczema vaccinatum, progressive vaccinia, postvaccinal encephalitis, myocarditis, and dilated cardiomyopathy. Additionally, vaccination of pregnant women can cause fetal infection resulting in stillbirth or infant death . Patients should be carefully screened for precautions and contraindications prior to receipt of smallpox vaccine . In 2008, a new smallpox vaccine, ACAM2000 replaced the previously used vaccine Dryvax®. The data indicate that ACAM2000 has a similar safety profile to Dryvax® . Naturally occurring smallpox disease has been eliminated worldwide, and in the United States, smallpox vaccine is currently only given to military personnel and selected individuals that might be at high risk of exposure, such as laboratory scientists that work with smallpox or similar viruses .

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How Many Americans Die From The Flu Each Year

As flu season gets underway in the United States, the futile debate about whether influenza viruses are deadlier than Covid-19 has already reared its ugly head on social media. Yesterday, President Trump tweeted that many people die from the flu every year, “sometimes over 100,000”. The claim was quickly debunked and Twitter hid the president’s post, marking it with a tag stating that it violated its rules about spreading misleading and potentially harmful information related to Covid-19. Up to October 07, the pandemic had claimed approximately 211,000 U.S. lives, a toll that is expected to continue rising steadily over the course of the winter months. So just how wrong was the president and how many Americans actually die from the flu each year?

*Click below to enlarge

Estimated number of deaths due to influenza in the U.S. by season

Statista

When Is The Flu Season

The CDC determines the start and end of flu season by monitoring flu activity illnesses, medical visits, and hospitalizations through its influenza surveillance systems. Most seasons begin in October, peak between December and February, and continue through May. The 2019-2020 flu season was unusual in that flu activity began to decline in March. According to the CDC, this was perhaps associated with community prevention measures for COVID-19.

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When Is The Best Time To Get The Flu Vaccine

Getting the flu vaccine every year provides multiple benefits, including, reducing illness and preventing flu-related hospitalization.

The CDC recommends that everyone six months and older should get the vaccine in the early fall, before the virus starts to spread.

The vaccine takes two weeks to develop antibodies that will protect against the virus.

Getting the vaccine in July or August is associated with reduced protection according to the CDC.

There are two ways a person can get the flu vaccine, including a physical shot or a nasal spray.

Is It Recommended To Have Both Vaccines Together

Results from the ComFluCOV study have shown that administering a flu vaccine at the same time as a second dose of a covid-19 vaccine is safe.19 Guidance from the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation says that the vaccines can be offered together where operationally expedient but advises that the covid-19 booster vaccine programme should not disrupt or delay deployment of the annual influenza vaccination programme.20 It advises general practices to offer the covid and flu vaccines as soon as patients are eligible rather than delaying to wait for deliveries of either vaccine so as to administer both at the same time. There is no evidence that having both jabs in the same arm makes them any less effective, but many people having both together are choosing different arms to reduce soreness.

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Why Did The Estimates For The 2017

CDCs model used to estimate the burden of flu includes information collected about flu testing practices. Because current testing data was not available at the time of estimation , the estimates that were previously published on the CDC website were made using testing information from prior flu seasons.

Since then, complete information to estimate the burden of the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 flu seasons has become available. Final testing information from the 2017-2018 seasons indicated an increase in testing for flu across all age groups and the FluSurv-NET sites. Because the percent of individuals who were tested for flu was high in all age groups, the adjustment for under-detection of flu was lower and our burden estimates decreased. The estimates for the 2019-2020 season pull information from all past seasons including the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 seasons and because our methods use the most conservative estimates of under-detection of flu, the 2019-2020 burden estimates also decreased. The 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 season estimates are now considered final, however the 2019-2020 burden estimates are still preliminary and may change as more information becomes available.

More information on How CDC Estimates Flu Burden is available, as well as answers to frequently asked questions about CDCs flu burden estimates.

A Comparative Analysis Of Covid

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The flu and COVID-19 are very contagious respiratory infections caused by the influenza virus and SARS-COV-2 coronavirus, respectively. As respiratory viruses, they are transmitted from one infected individual to another via small, aerosolized particles during breathing or speaking/screaming/singing and by respiratory droplets. Evidence gathered throughout the pandemic has shown that the aerosol form is dominant in spreading the disease through communities, propelling the pandemic from region to region.

Aside from sharing some of the same symptoms of fever, cough, and chills, the comparison, even attempts to suggest that these two infections are the same, has been repeatedly promoted to downplay the dangers of COVID and compel workplaces and schools to open to ensure the economy is up and running. The blatant disregard for the populations health, given the calamity COVID has wrought, has been willfully criminal. However, what has also been lacking is an effort by the mainstream media to provide a more concrete scale by which people may compare COVIDs havoc to understand the true seriousness of this disease.

Therefore, it would be instructive place the figures for the flu and COVID toe to toe, to comprehend the magnitude of their differences and recognize the deceit being peddled to the population.

Certainly, other comparisons need to be made.

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