SAINT LOUIS, MO (KMOX) - The southern hemisphere -- which has its winter during our summer -- is getting hit hard right now by the flu -- and that has an infectious disease specialist in St. Louis worried about what might be coming here.
"You know, it's a little too early to say what our flu season is going to be like," says Washington University's Dr. Steve Lawrence at Barnes Jewish Hospital, "but we certainly have been hearing some reports from Australia, which often predicts what our season's going to be like. It's been very busy down there."
Data from the Southern Hemisphere -- which is in its flu season right now -- shows flu cases passing pre-pandemic levels.
"Their winter is occurring during our summer so they're nearing the tail end of their flu season and it's the busiest one they've had certainly since the COVID pandemic." That's why Dr. Lawrence says getting this year's flu shot will be more important than ever -- he suggests getting in early to mid October.