Swine Flu is Back but Officials Have Good News

With symptoms of unusually high fevers and violent nausea, many of the country’s most vulnerable had to be hospitalized – or worse – died.

Well this year’s flu strain is again H1N1.

But before you panic, officials may have some reassuring input.

"H1N1 has been around since 2009," said Dan Walker who is an epidemiologist with the Tennessee Department of Health. "That’s when it was a novel virus. It caused a lot of illness but it has been circulating now for quite some time and some people develop some immunity to it."

Officials say flu activity is much lower than years past.

"This year compared to the past two years we’ve seen a significant decrease, probably 40 percent less cases than what we’ve seen previously," Walker said.

But officials say the flu season hasn’t even reached it’s peak.

"The only thing that is predictable about flu seasons is that they’re unpredictable, " he said. "So this could change next week. We could see a lot more cases. Or it could continue how it is."

The peak of flu season is typically mid-February so officials say there is still time to get a flu shot.

And if you’re wondering if this year’s strain matches the vaccine unlike last years, rest assured it does.

Officials credit this fact and the unseasonably warm winter that has kept people away from enclosed spaces with one another, for the low flu numbers.