Spike in flu cases expected as we approach peak season

Dr. Matthew Sims, the director of infectious disease research at Corewell Heath East (formerly Beaumont Health), said influenza case numbers have been going up significantly since the end of November. There were almost no flu cases in 2020 and relatively few in 2021 due to masking for COVID-19 and other measures aimed at decreasing the spread of the virus. But, recently, that's changed. "The number of flu cases we're seeing is about ten times higher now than they were in 2019," Sims said. "Year to year, circulating flu gives people a little bit of protection for the next year. And with no flu really circulating around for the last few years, I think that protection has waned. I think there's a lot of people who were getting exposed who have, basically, no antibody lying around."