New York is having one of its worst flu outbreaks in recent history

New York is a sick place, and that isn’t meant to be some hip young kid lingo—the city is currently in the middle of one of its worst flu outbreaks in more than a decade. 

In the week ending on January 20, 1,759 people across New York State were hospitalized as a result of the flu, the highest weekly number since reporting began on the virus in 2004, according to the state’s Department of Health. Through January 13, the 2017-2018 flu season had seen 17,362 confirmed cases statewide, and the bug isn’t expected to slow down any time soon. 

"With flu cases on the rise, New Yorkers should take steps to get vaccinated and protect themselves and their loved ones," Governor Andrew Cuomo said last week in a statement. "I am directing the Department of Health to work with local providers to help protect our communities from this flu outbreak, and I urge all New Yorkers to visit local health centers and get vaccinated as soon as possible."

New York is not alone in seeing a spike in flu cases—the virus has seen a major spike nationwide since November. But while reports of vaccine shortages have sprung up across the country, Cuomo’s office states that there is no current shortage in New York State. Nonetheless, officials are urging New Yorkers to check VaccineFinder.com to find nearby locations where they can get a flu shot. 

Politicians on both the state and federal level have made moves in recent weeks to help curb the impact of the flu virus on New York. Last week, Cuomo issued an executive order that allowed pharmacists to administer flu vaccinations to children between the ages of 2 and 18. New York Senator Chuck Schumer also got involved in the flu fiasco on Monday, calling for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to designate a special “domestic flu surveillance team” to help New York hospitals track and treat the spread of the flu virus throughout the state.  

So, if you haven’t gotten a flu shot in the last year, it’s time to buckle up and let a doctor stick a needle in you. Doing so may not only save your own health, but also help stop the spread of the virus to New Yorkers with more vulnerable immune systems.

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