Tennessee is one of five states reporting higher than normal flu
activity for this time of year. "We're seeing flu activity
across the state and we're seeing widespread activity," said
John Dunn, deputy state epidemiologist for the state health
department. Widespread flu activity isn't something the
Tennessee Department of Health is used to seeing in early
December, and it's not sure what it could mean for the coming
months. "That is a concern that we might have a longer flu
season since it's starting earlier," Dunn said. But why did flu
season start early this year? Brian Todd of Metro Nashville's
Public Health department has a theory. "It is coming a little
bit early but actually Thanksgiving came a little earlier," Todd
said, You might ask yourself what a holiday has to do with it.
The CDC says the airborne virus can infect a person even from a
distance of six feet. Todd says the nature of the holiday
creates for more contact with loved ones and with strangers.
"People are traveling at Thanksgiving," Todd