PS - "herd immunity" is a fallacy that would only be valid if the immunization in question were 100% effective. Since the flu vaccine is not 100% effective, "herd immunity" is instead just a false sense of security.

Following a healthy diet to keep your immune system operating at its best, washing your hands, and coughing / sneezing into your elbow, as well as staying home when you are ill, are all important because they not only prevent YOU from getting the flu, they prevent that strain from spreading because you won't be contagious by incubating it and walking around encountering other people.

Could this be a situation due to location where many of the elderly in the larger cities do not get out of the home, either to get a shot in the first place, or to seek help soon enough as they become increasingly ill? I've never lived in Madison or Milwaukee, so I don't know if this theory holds water.

Thank you, janesvillean. I am aware that the numbers mean absolutely nothing because there is not a clear determination at this point of what is actually the flu and what is not. That was my point. I think it's a bunch of hype to try to increase flu vaccine sales. If it is "unusually severe" and they start keeping track of the statistics now, it is still meaningless because they have already lost real data from the time period up until now, as they have not been collecting accurate information regarding flu or non-flu.

Awesome post, janesvillean. *claps hands*

luvujvl, be aware that the CDC uses a reporting term ILI, which is short for influenza-like infection. It just means they are reporting by symptoms and not actually doing a culture from the patient, which is not really cost-effective unless it's unusually severe and possibly one of the outliers like SARS.
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oldtimer, the flu shot includes three strains which are selected months in advance as likely to be prevalent this year. It then takes months to grow sufficient amounts of those selected strains to create the vaccine. Since there is no single "flu", but hundreds of possibilities, at best it can only be a statistically supported probability of matching the virus strains that are out there any given season, and can never be considered a complete 100% protection against getting the flu.
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The vaccinations are important because they not only prevent YOU from getting the flu, they prevent that strain from spreading because you won't be contagious by incubating it and walking around encountering other people. This is the meaning of "herd immunity".
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Think of it this way. You're in a shed with four doorways but only three doors. If you close the three doors you have you reduce the amount of wind blowing in 75%.

The reported percentage of Americans who have had the flu shot this year is only 37%, according to CNN. Also, the shot this year is a good match to the top 3 influenza viruses going around. Obviously the shot, like any immunization, is not going to protect you 100%. I believe it was also reported that the shot is only to protect about 60% of those who got it. Similarly, children who get the DTap immunization can still get whooping cough, just hope for less severe symptoms. I am just recovered from a 14 day virus. Hope you all stay well. :)

Some who get the shot, still get the flu and sometimes Harder symptoms. Flu shots are not always an option for some.

With only about 50% of the population getting the flu vaccine it would not be unusual to see this happening.

What a mature, intelligent post. I hope all the anti constitution, anti rights types have no more to offer than that.

I don't believe
the strain of flu going around matches the vaccination this year, as sometimes happens. No worries though, this being the 2nd amendment loving America that it is, you can just shoot the flu virus as it breaks down your door to infect you, and you'll be fine. La Pierre tells me it's so.

Why doesnt someone do a check on these cases and see how many had the flu shot and still got the flu, sounds strange to me

Is it the flu, or a "flu-like" virus?