Holidays and the flu

Question:

Why is the flu more common during the winter holiday season?

Answer:

The combination of being indoors more frequently, being exposed to more people at social occasions, and being under increased stress during the winter holidays can explain the higher incidence of the flu. The winter holiday season also often occurs during the peak or near peak of the annual flu "epidemic."

See: Influenza

Review Date: 02/19/2009
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)