New Year Could Bring A New Wave Of Swine Flu

courtesy of KPBS Public Broadcasting..

SAN DIEGO — The new year has arrived with a reduced level of concern about the swine flu pandemic. The H1N1 virus has entered what health officials call a lull, as fewer new cases occur. But they also say this is an ideal time to increase vaccinations and immunity to try to stop another wave of infection.

The flu is a virus that comes in infectious waves which you try to anticipate and prepare for. Dr. Wilma Wooten is the San Diego County health officer. She said we've already seen two waves of the swine flu, one in April and another in October of last year. She said past flu pandemics tell us that a third wave may be on its way.
"If we go back historically to what happened with the 1918 pandemic influenza, the third wave did occur in Spring of the following year... about March," she said. "And it was much worse than the previous two waves."

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