Flu Vaccine May Only Be 10% Effective, Experts Say
CHICAGO (CBS) -- While the holidays can really wear you out, if you're feeling achy and tired, it could also be the flu.
And, according to CBS 2's Roseanne Tellez, just because you got a flu shot this year, you're not necessarily immune.
Dr. Suchita Kishore from Rush University Medical Center says with the flu vaccine estimated to only be 10 percent effective this year, doctors are expecting a lot more patients.
"That's certainly what the CDC is projecting," she said, adding that Rush has already started seeing an uptick in patients. "It's projected that now is the time we'll start to see a peak, and the numbers will continue probably through March."
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This is also the time of year when hospitals begin screening visitors for the flu to prevent from spreading it.
Furthermore, medical experts are warning people who like to talk or text on the toilet that the habit may get you very sick.
"There are bacteria all over the bathroom -- on the flusher, the door handles, the toilet seat. You may wash your hands once you're done, but you don't wash your phone," Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt told Health.com. With flu season underway, health professionals are urging people to keep their phones out of the already germ-infested stalls.
The CDC notes that talking on your phone spreads germs from your respiratory system onto the screen, some of which can cause the flu. Those particles can live on the surface of your devices for up to 24 hours. Once there, the viral particles are easily spread by you or anyone else's fingers after touching the screen or buttons.
On average, past flu vaccines have been about 42 percent effective, CBS News reports, though that number can range anywhere from 10 to 60 percent in a given year.
