Caitlin Rivers

Where it's hitting is unusual, too.

Johns Hopkins epidemiologist Caitlin Rivers says it typically starts in the south and expands from there, but this time appears to have started in western states, such as California, Washington, Hawaii, and Alaska.

Rivers says the culprit may be a new variant that may make the virus better at evading existing immunity, especially in teenagers.

She says the best defense is a flu shot sooner rather than later.

A man in his 50s with underlying health conditions, in addition to Washington State, Alaska, California, and Hawaii, are also reporting sharp increases in the percentage of laboratory tests coming back positive for influenza cases.

Quote, consider encouraging patients to get vaccinated as soon as possible rather than waiting until later in the season, particularly in the western region, wrote Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist who tracks outbreak-prone pathogens in a weekly newsletter, FOI Clinical, for clinicians and public health practitioners.

End of story.

All right, let's head back to the NHL.

Where people disagree is over what the status measures.

Caitlin Rivers of Johns Hopkins said the moment points to a cycle of panic and neglect.

Rivers put it this way.

We have forgotten what it's like to face widespread measles.