FastSaying

[That is] something that we're evaluating very carefully to determine whether or not there's anything about this particular flu strain that's preferentially affecting children or causing more severe disease in children, ... We don't know the answer to the question yet. It is common for children to develop severe influenza and for deaths to occur in every flu season, unfortunately, so it will take us some time to figure that out.

Related Quotes

We haven't identified anything about this strain that's different from strains in the other areas.
— Julie Gerberding
AreasIdentifiedStrain
The avian flu may be that next novel strain and it may not be, we just don't know yet. The threat of a pandemic isn't a new one. It's just ratcheted up right now because they're finding this new strain in a few more places.
— Jim Murphy
FluNextNot
There is no firm dividing line between what is an epidemic and what is not an epidemic, but I think, when you look at a map that shows widespread influenza activity in 36 states, that we regard it -- from a common-sense perspective -- as an epidemic.
— Julie Gerberding
DividingEpidemicFirm
Our current situation now is not a good situation. We have these ongoing and widespread outbreaks.
— Dr. Julie Gerberding
CurrentGoodNot
We've probably never been closer to a pandemic than the year 1917.
— Julie Gerberding
CloserProbablyYear