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Flu cases are surging across Massachusetts. Have you gotten sick?
As hospitalizations climb and Boston opens free vaccination clinics, we want to hear how this flu season is affecting you.
Flu cases are surging across Massachusetts — and the spike has been fast and severe.
FLU IN MASSACHUSETTS
State health officials say flu activity has reached “very high” levels, with cases and hospitalizations far exceeding what doctors typically expect for this point in the winter.
In Boston alone, there were 581 confirmed flu cases last week, according to the Boston Public Health Commission, down from 687 the week prior. Hospitals and emergency departments are seeing waves of patients with high fevers and respiratory distress, and pediatric units are treating young children with serious complications, according to the Boston Globe.
The season has also been deadly. Massachusetts has recorded 66 flu-related deaths, including four children statewide, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. In Boston, two children under age 2 have died from the flu this season. Health officials say older adults and very young children remain at the highest risk.
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In response, the City of Boston is opening a series of free flu and COVID-19 vaccination clinics, available to anyone 6 months or older, with no appointment required through the end of January.
At the same time, doctors say declining flu vaccination rates are helping fuel the surge. Experts point to a mix of factors, including pandemic fatigue that has led to fewer routine health care visits, lingering vaccine skepticism following COVID-19, and a tendency to underestimate the seriousness of influenza compared with other respiratory viruses.
Still, physicians across Massachusetts stress that the flu vaccine significantly reduces the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death. They add that it’s not too late to get vaccinated, urging people — especially parents of young children — to get a shot as soon as possible, since protection can take several weeks to build.
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“This is a moment for clarity, urgency, and action,” Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein said in a news release. “It is not too late. Choosing vaccination is choosing to protect yourself, your family, your friends, your colleagues, and your community.”
We want to know: Have you or someone in your household gotten the flu this season?
How severe were your symptoms, and did you need medical care? Or have you managed to avoid it so far? Share your experience in the form below or e-mail us at [email protected] — and tell us whether this flu season feels worse than usual to you.
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