Cases of flu are rising in across the country, particularly in the West and South, and experts in Maryland are bracing for a wave of achy and feverish patients to begin flooding area doctor\u2019s offices and hospitals. <\/p>\n
Some cases are already here. An outbreak among 50 elementary students and staff in Prince George\u2019s County led to an unusual shutdown<\/a> of the school to control the spread of the virus. <\/p>\n For the rest of Maryland, the latest testing by medical providers shows that the virus is circulating and flu cases are rising, but they remain low.<\/a><\/p>\n Another important measure shows there are not a lot of sick people under the radar in the state. As of Oct. 17, little virus has been found in wastewater samples, which could capture illness among those who haven\u2019t been tested. <\/p>\n Cases could ramp up quickly within weeks, however, and that\u2019s \u201ca call to get vaccinated now,\u201d said Andrew Pekosz, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center of Excellence in Influenza Research and Response.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s best if [vaccinations are] taken before the influenza season starts,\u201d he said, given that it take two weeks for the body to develop antibodies against an invading virus. <\/p>\n This year\u2019s vaccine covers three flu strains, and here\u2019s the good news: Two of vaccines appear to be good matches for what is circulating this season, said Pekosz during a media briefing Thursday.<\/p>\n The majority of cases in Maryland so far are H1N1 subtypes of influenza A, according to data from the Maryland Department of Health. Unfortunately, according to Pekosz, those flu types can be good at evading immune protections that people develop. Still, he added, the vaccine should protect against severe disease and hospitalizations.<\/p>\n A vaccine can also reduce recovery time, meaning less missed school and work. <\/p>\n About 5,000 people across the country were admitted to the hospital for the flu in the week ending Oct. 17, according to the most recent available numbers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Anna Durbin, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Immunization Research, says those figures are somewhat high for this early in the season. <\/p>\n Durbin said officials are hoping not to repeat last year, with lots of very sick people and low vaccination rates.<\/a><\/p>\n So far this year, the state reports that just 8% of the population is vaccinated against the flu. Nearly 100 people have been hospitalized for the virus and one person has died. <\/p>\n The Hopkins experts echo state officials who have previously recommended that everyone 6 months and older should get vaccinated. <\/p>\n State health leaders this year have linked their guidance <\/a>to major medical associations, splitting from federal health officials\u2019 recommendations. The Trump administration has issued evolving and sometimes confusing messages about vaccinations after disbanding a prominent advisory panel. <\/p>\n