Flu B

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Anchor lead: Flu infection is continuing at a high level,
Elizabeth Tracey reports

The CDC is reporting almost 5000 deaths from the flu so far
this season, and while rates of new cases have dropped a bit from last week,
they remain high. Aaron Milstone, an infectious disease expert at Johns
Hopkins, says there are steps you can take to protect yourself and loved ones.

Milstone: People always think oh it’s flu season already I
didn’t get my vaccine, its too late. Well right now we’re seeing B but we will
be seeing A we anticipate, so we still encourage people to get the vaccine.
Usually it’s the opposite, where early in the season we’re seeing A we remind
people they can still get the vaccine it protects against the B strain, so I
still think people who haven’t gotten the vaccine should absolutely go out and
get the vaccine, remembering their common sense that if they have a fever they
should stay at home and protect the kids in their class or their coworkers. I
think right now common sense is going to be the big one.  :31

CDC data indicate that the flu circulating now seems to hit
children especially hard, so they too need vaccination. At Johns Hopkins, I’m
Elizabeth Tracey.