H1N1 is here, and it's coming for YOU!

Marylanders and Virginians just can't keep their germs to themselves, apparently. According to recent reports, the flu is on the rampage for both of these DMV states. Apparently, H1N1 (aka swine flu) has returned with a vengeance since we first saw the pandemic in 2009. Protect yourself, people! That means face masks, hand sanitizer, and flu shots. And if you're afraid of needles, maybe you should just hole up in your house with a can of Lysol until flu season passes.

Honestly, I've never gotten the flu shot until this year. There are a wide variety of flu strains, and the shot can only do so much. But this year, with a new baby in the house, I decided to fortify myself in every way I know how. H1N1 is particularly aggressive in young kids and old folks, but it can still feel like death even if you're not part of those populations. Aches, fever, stuffy nose, sore throat, headache -- it's basically the Plague-Come-Again. 

While the CDC can't give us exact numbers of who to avoid (ahem, I mean the poor individuals afflicted), they have a scale for rating each outbreak area. It's from one to APOCALYPTIC.

Nah, just kidding.

It's from "sporadic" (so, people with the flu here and there) to "widespread" (which means basically everyone its only a matter of time). And guess what! Maryland and Virginia are both in the widespread category. Congratulations: we don't cover our coughs or our sneezes!

Again, just kidding.

Actually, the flu can spread before you even show symptoms and after you've stopped showing them. It's a silent killer, people. Let's don face masks the way Sandra Bullock dons blindfolds. This will solve all our problems, really.

Maybe Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh were on the right track with offering those flu shots at the Golden Globes. But if you're not rich and famous and trying to get a flu/glamour shot, your local pharmacy is probably offering some. Most are covered with insurance. Or your doc can hook you up (maybe literally ... you know with an IV if you catch the flu). You can probably also get a free face mask from your doctor's office, too, if you're looking to add one to your wintertime wardrobe. Just saying.

Have you gotten your flu shot? Let us know in the comments below. 

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