A severe flu season is unfolding across the US, with data showing it’s the most severe since the 2009 swine flu pandemic. Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist and professor at the University of Saskatchewan, sounded the alarm on the situation during an interview on KIRO Newsradio.
The flu season is spreading due in part to the CDC halting its flu vaccination campaign, which aims to educate people on the importance of vaccines in preventing severe illness and death. Rasmussen warned that this decrease in vaccination rates will lead to more severe cases and potentially even deaths.
Rasmussen also expressed concern over the impact of health cuts on her colleagues at the federal government level. Thousands of jobs have been lost, including those working in disease detection, laboratory services, and tracking seasonal flu outbreaks. These cuts have resulted in a compromised ability to communicate effectively about health risks to the American public.
Furthermore, Rasmussen warned that bird flu is “out of control,” with thousands of cows infected across the country secreting high amounts of virus into their milk, resulting in a record number of human cases among dairy workers, totaling at least 70 confirmed cases.
Source: https://mynorthwest.com/gee-and-ursula/flu-season/4050335