from American Heart Association
With so much attention rightfully focused on the Covid 19 pandemic, it is easy to avoid thinking ahead to the flu season. A new assessment of past flu seasons, presented to the American Heart Association noted the stress on the body by the flu may do much more than make a person feel “flu-ish.” The infection may increase the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Part of the problem, researchers discovered, is that groups that are most vulnerable—the elderly and nursing home residents—tend to be under-vaccinated. However, among adults over fifty who were vaccinated there was lower risk of a heart attack and a seventy-three percent lower risk of death from the flu. Leading medical organizations are calling attention to the need for seasonal flu shots.