It’s easy to freak out about Ebola. The deadly disease has been national news for months now, and its arrival in the United States sent many Americans to new levels of panicking. That said, experts emphasize that it is difficult for the majority of the population to contract Ebola. Unless you or a loved one has visited western Africa recently or you are a healthcare worker treating an Ebola patient, your risk of contracting the virus is incredibly low.
Now, experts are warning the public about another virus that is much more likely to affect you, and one that kills many more people than Ebola: influenza.
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“A lot of people think of the flu as a pretty mild illness, right up until they get it themselves, and then they see how severe it can be,†said infectious disease physician David Cennimo, M.D., assistant professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, in a recent interview with Rutgers Today. “I have treated severe cases where patients have been in intensive care on a ventilator…When you see a severe case, as I have, you get a whole new respect for the illness.â€
While complications and death from the flu are rare, they’re certainly possible, especially in those with compromised immune systems. In the absence of more concrete statistics, the CDC can estimate the average flu-related deaths per year based on data from the 1976-1977 flu season to the 2006-2007 flu season. Based on that data, anywhere from about 3,000 to about 49,000 people die from the flu per year, depending on the season.
From another perspective, the CDC estimates that between five and 20 percent of U.S. residents will get the flu each year, which is way more than the amount of people who will be affected by Ebola.
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Of course, the first and most effective thing you can do is get a flu shot. Not only will this be your best defense against the virus, but it will help protect those around you. And don’t scoff at it just because you’re healthy or you’ve never gotten the flu or you’re terrified of needles—these are all flu shot excuses that just don’t hold up.Â
The bottom line? You should probably spend less time worrying about Ebola and more time on flu prevention—like getting a vaccine, boosting your immune system, and staying healthy. “It’s fascinating to me to see social-media panic and listen to people worried about Ebola who have never had an influenza vaccine, where statistically the thing you will get this year is influenza,†says Cennimo in the interview. “You’ll probably do yourself and those around you the most good by getting a flu shot.†So stop tweeting about Ebola, and book it to your pharmacy for that shot!
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