The first work week of the year of the snake is seeing a large influx of people lined up at clinics to get their flu shot following the tragic news about Big S.
The sudden passing of famous actress, singer, and television host Barbie Hsu, also known as Big S, due to complications of influenza A infection has sent shockwaves through her multinational fanbase. Many have reacted by hightailing it to the nearest clinic to get a flu shot.
While Big S’s untimely death has served as the impetus for this sudden rush to get vaccinated, the flu has been a rising threat since October of last year. On January 12, there were more than 140,000 visits to emergency departments for flu-like illnesses in Taiwan, with the number soaring past 160,000 the following week. Even though most clinics were closed for the Lunar New Year holiday last week, more than 80,000 people still sought treatment. Based on these trends, the Centers for Disease Control estimate that the number of visits may exceed 180,000 during the next one to two weeks.
From October 1 to February 2, there were 641 severe flu cases and 132 flu deaths. More than 90 percent of those affected did not receive a flu jab. Of the 6.78 million vaccine doses procured for the Taiwanese public this flu season, about 200,000 are left, so if you haven’t been vaccinated yet, this may be your last shot.