Lead author Charles Stoecker of Tulane University School of Public Health along with economists Alan Barreca of Tulane and Nicholas Sanders of Cornell University looked at county-level statistics from 1974-2009.
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Having a team in the popular Super Bowl may result in increase in the number of flu deaths among older adults, a population more vulnerable to serious complications from influenza, a new United States study has claimed. The researchers attribute this to the warmer locations of the Super Bowl games.
Researchers say that small house parties and local gatherings – where partygoers are sharing dips, snacks and punch bowls – make it a prime time to pass around the highly contagious infection. “So we get the influenza transmitted in novel ways that’s then going to eventually wind up in the lungs of a 65-year old”, he added.
The researchers found that the effect was greater when the Super Bowl occurred close to the peak of flu season or in years when the dominant influenza strain was more lethal.
Super Bowl parties are hotbeds for the flu virus and experts are advising those celebrating the sports event to get their flu shots. And as people get worked up over the game, they neglect a few important things-like not double-dipping. And may we suggest investing in finger-bowls to fill with dip if you’re hosting a Super Bowl party? I don’t know about you, but I usually have a conversation with someone from about 3 feet away, max.
Host cities, despite an influx of people from all over America, see no increase in mortality.
The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about flu prevention. If you are really committed then serve your drinks in paper Coca Cola cups, just like the ones they use at the stadium, you can purchase these classic cups in varying styles and sizes on Amazon. “If you are sick, stay home”.
Flu deaths are concentrated among those 65 years and older – 40.7 people per million die from the flu. In other words, their results are not driven by generally higher flu mortality in some regions than others – it’s the Super Bowl that makes the difference. If a city had a team playing in the Super Bowl, its mortality rates due to influenza jumped.
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To do your part to help clamp down on the spread of the flu virus while still supporting your team, Stoecker recommends washing your hands, getting vaccinated and putting a sign above that cheese dip that says “Scoop Once!”
