“Is the flu an epidemic disease?”

Influenza causes disease around the globe every year, an every year in the US. Circulating influenza viruses change every year- so every year a slightly different vaccine is made. I would get an influenza vaccine.

Influenza occurs every year, and there may be many cases - an epidemic, so yes, it causes epidemic. Roughly every ten years there are worldwide epidemics - pandemics. Because influenza is preventable, everyone should get the vaccine.

G. Dickinson

Yes, in many years it reaches epidemic criteria as tracked by CDC, and you can follow this on their website weekly. It can also become pandemic as in 1918 and 2009.

Yes, there is a flu epidemic every year, and this year will be no exception. About 15% of the population contracts the flu when it comes around. It can make you really sick. Flu vaccination is not perfect, but it is much better than nothing, is not particularly painful, isn’t hard to find, isn’t expensive, and in some places you can get a $5 gift certificate for getting vaccinated. You may also protect those around you by getting yourself vaccinated. So, yes, by all means, you should get your vaccine this year.

Randall G. Fisher, M.D.