The Flu Hitting The Berkshires Hard This Year

Due to a double-barreled flu season, kids and adults alike are getting hit hard with the flu this year.

A double-barreled flu season occurs when two flu outbreaks overlap one another, a pattern which is very unusual, according to flu experts. -Healthline

Experts say that Strain B of the flu, which hasn't hit this hard in nearly 30 years, is the reason why kids, (never before exposed to "B"), are getting sick.

Strain A which hits every year is expected to continue as well until April. Yes, although rare, one could get the flu twice this year.

It is not late to get a flu shot, and experts recommend washing your hands a lot and avoiding infected children and adults with influenza.

The Berkshires has mirrored national high flu activity as well, with Berkshire County colored in dark blue (very high risk) on the weather.com app and CDC, since January.

It's school vacation week and time to disinfect!

The whole point of winter break is to get the kids a break from each other germ wise and to clean the schools---which get a good scrub over the break. We have been hit pretty hard. I am off this week, and don't have the exact count, but between December and now, we have had a constant uptick in absences. -PPS Superintendent Dr. Jason McCandless

Watch here the latest on the 2019-2020 flu season.