PITTSBURGH (Newsradio KDKA) - Experts worry of a problematic flu season this year, after a mild season last year.
"The trouble is, much of our immunity that the population builds up to flu year-over-year, comes from people who got infected," said Dr. Mark Roberts, M.D., director of the Public Health Dynamics Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public, during the KDKA Radio Morning Show Tuesday. "The immunity from being infected with influenza lasts longer than the immunity from a vaccination."
There are typically 400,000 hospitalizations and 20,000 deaths from the flu in a normal year.
If these numbers are accurate for the season ahead, and Covid cases continue to increase, a problem could be presented.
"The saving grace is that we have a solution to this - and that's to be vaccinated. To be vaccinated both against Covid, and this year especially, it's much more important to get your annual flu vaccine," Roberts said.
Listen to the full interview above to learn more.