U.S., U.K. Urging People To Get Flu Vaccines This Year

December 29, 2008 12:47 p.m. EST

Atlanta, GA (AHN) - It's already shaping up to be the worst flu season in at least nine years in England and Wales while American health care officials warn that most flu strains there don't respond to treatment with Tamiflu.

GP services officials in the United Kingdom say they have seen a 75 percent increase in flu cases in the past week, which is, in turn, a 73 percent increase over last year. They are warning anyone over 65 or with a chronic health condition to get a flu vaccination soon.

Public health officials say that there were 69 GP consultations for flu-like illness per 100,000 of the population, which was up from the 39.5 per 100,000 on Dec. 14, they say 200 per 100,000 would be an epidemic.

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control warns that the most common flu virus this year is resistant to Tamiflu. But since it's still early in the flu season they don't know if that particular flu bug will be the most common.

In any case, they are also urging people to get a flu vaccination soon. They say that this year's flu vaccine seems to be a good match to the most common flu bugs in circulation now.