--- title: CDC: Seasonal Flu Death Rates May Be Higher Than Estimated description: More people may die from the flu than previously estimated, according to a CDC study that estimated influenza-related respiratory deaths. canonical: https://time.com/5063158/seasonal-flu-death-rates-cdc/ author: Jamie Ducharme article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-12-13T23:30:35.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-12T08:42:08.970Z article:section: Health og:title: More People May Die from the Flu Than We Thought og:description: According to new CDC estimates og:url: https://time.com/5063158/seasonal-flu-death-rates-cdc/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2e771176e9c6c351/6988f4f94ee26297d7310281/flu-shots.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: Swine Flu Vaccinations Get Under Way In Germany og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: More People May Die from the Flu Than We Thought twitter:description: According to new CDC estimates twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2e771176e9c6c351/6988f4f94ee26297d7310281/flu-shots.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 01:29 video:published: 2017-11-20 section: health topics: flu symptoms, sinus relief, neti pot, cold and cough relief, Vicks Vaporizer, herbal tea, immune support, chicken noodle soup, heated blanket, budget health products genre: product roundup, consumer advice tones: reassuring, upbeat, practical, casual emotions: reassurance (medium), comfort (medium), empathy (low) sentiment: positive audience: people with cold or flu symptoms, budget-conscious shoppers, health product buyers, caregivers organizations: GEICO products: neti pot, Vicks Vaporizer, herbal tea, chicken noodle soup, heated blanket transcript_source: automatic transcription transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # More People May Die from the Flu Each Year Than We Thought > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Health Matters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Health Matters is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The latest health news and expert advice on living well. Health Matters makes the fast-moving world of health more useful, surprising and human, from the latest science and medical breakthroughs to practical ideas for living better. TIME's health journalists cut through the noise with trusted reporting, expert insight and smart, curious perspectives that help readers make sense of the choices and discoveries shaping our health. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=ee7801d5-5a5b-4d04-8038-d4d172dbfec5&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Weekdays | time.com/newsletters, September 2026 | | Written by | Written by TIME's health desk | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership Health conscious and health connected. A broad health-conscious audience with a credible institutional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ### TIME Health Matters: key statements * Health Matters is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * Health Matters is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=ee7801d5-5a5b-4d04-8038-d4d172dbfec5&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/subscribe?i=ee7801d5-5a5b-4d04-8038-d4d172dbfec5&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's health newsletter? Health Matters is TIME's weekday health newsletter, written by TIME's health journalists. It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's weekday health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free weekday newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=ee7801d5-5a5b-4d04-8038-d4d172dbfec5&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1) ## Video: 5 Flu-Fighting Products Under $30 [Watch (HLS stream): 5 Flu-Fighting Products Under $30](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/wcoliehG.m3u8) (1:29)  _Published 2017-11-20. 5 Flu-Fighting Products Under $30_ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary The video presents five flu-fighting products, each priced under $30, to help viewers manage cold and flu symptoms. It covers a neti pot for sinus relief, a Vicks Vaporizer for cold and cough symptoms, herbal tea for sore throat and immune support, chicken noodle soup for cold symptoms, and a heated blanket for aches and cold sweats. The segment is presented by GEICO and closes with a reassurance that rest with these products will restore the viewer's health. ## Key points - Neti pots clear sinuses and prevent nasal irritation when filled with lukewarm water and a packet of sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate, priced at $14. (00:16) - A Vicks Vaporizer can help relieve cold and cough symptoms, and its device can be transformed into a medicine cup for use as an inhalant, for about $15. (00:29) - Herbal teas with green tea, elderberry, echinacea, or licorice root flavors are recommended to soothe sore throats and may help boost the immune system, for around $3. (00:41) - Adding a touch of honey to herbal tea provides extra soothing sweetness. (00:54) - Chicken noodle soup can alleviate cold symptoms, and a can costs around a dollar. (01:02) - A heated blanket with three heat settings can be added to a closet to prepare for aches and cold sweats, for under $30. (01:09) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:16] Introduction to flu-fighting products. The video opens by describing flu symptoms and introducing five products under $30. - [00:16 to 00:29] Neti pot for sinus relief. The neti pot is presented as a way to clear sinuses, with instructions and its price. - [00:29 to 00:41] Vicks Vaporizer for cold symptoms. The Vicks Vaporizer is described as relieving cold and cough symptoms, with its price. - [00:41 to 01:02] Herbal tea and soup remedies. Herbal teas for sore throat and immune support are covered, followed by chicken noodle soup as a traditional remedy. - [01:02 to 01:09] Soup for cold relief. Chicken noodle soup is recommended for alleviating cold symptoms at a low cost. - [01:09 to 01:29] Heated blanket and closing. A heated blanket is recommended for aches and cold sweats, and the video closes with a note on rest and recovery. ## Key quotes - [00:00] narrator: "Are you feeling achy, tired, and stuffed up? You may have the flu." - [00:16] narrator: "Neti pots clear your sinuses and prevent nasal irritation." - [00:29] narrator: "Adding a Vicks Vaporizer to your room will help relieve cold and cough symptoms." - [00:44] narrator: "All natural ingredients may also help to boost your immune system." - [01:02] narrator: "Well, it can actually alleviate cold symptoms." ## Questions this video answers - What products are recommended for flu symptoms in this video? [00:00] - How does a neti pot help clear sinuses? [00:16] - What can a Vicks Vaporizer do for cold and cough symptoms? [00:29] - Which herbal tea flavors are recommended for a sore throat? [00:41] - How can a heated blanket help with aches and cold sweats? [01:09]  by [Jamie Ducharme](https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Dec 13, 2017 11:30 PM UTC 5 Flu-Fighting Products Under $30  by [Jamie Ducharme](https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/)  ## Jamie Ducharme Ducharme is a contributor to TIME. Dec 13, 2017 11:30 PM UTC New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may have you rethinking your decision to shrug off a flu shot this year. A large, international survey conducted by the CDC and several of its global health partners suggests that significantly more people than previously estimated die from influenza-related respiratory illnesses each year. [The study](http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2817%2933293-2/fulltext), published Wednesday in _the Lancet_, says between 291,000 and 646,000 people likely succumb to these respiratory diseases each year—potentially far more than prior estimates hovering between 250,000 and 500,000 casualties. Researchers used seasonal flu data to calculate influenza-related respiratory death rates for 33 countries, which together account for 57% of the world’s population. They then built statistical models based on those figures, which were used to extrapolate flu-associated respiratory deaths for 185 countries around the globe. Perhaps unsurprisingly, flu deaths were especially prevalent among people who live in poorer nations—particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where medical resources tend to be sparse—as well as among people 75 and older. Eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asian nations, meanwhile, had slightly lower-than-average death rates. The researchers also noted in the study that their estimates likely do not capture all flu-related deaths. The study focused specifically on flu-related respiratory illnesses, but influenza can also worsen chronic conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, or [cause other serious complications](https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/complications.htm), including encephalitis and organ failure. All in all, the findings underscore the importance of vaccination programs, according to the researchers—especially since we may be [gearing up for an especially bad flu season this year](http://time.com/5043143/us-flu-season-2017/). Experts [recommend flu shots to just about everyone](http://time.com/4062989/heres-who-doesnt-need-to-get-a-flu-shot/), even people who are young and healthy, [to keep transmission rates as low as possible](http://time.com/5052980/flu-season-2017-flu-shot/). ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5063158/seasonal-flu-death-rates-cdc/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5063158/seasonal-flu-death-rates-cdc/"},"headline":"More People May Die from the Flu Each Year Than We Thought","datePublished":"2017-12-13T23:30:35.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-12T08:42:08.970Z","description":"According to new CDC estimates","url":"https://time.com/5063158/seasonal-flu-death-rates-cdc/","keywords":["Public Health","Research","CDC","Infectious Disease","flu season","onetime","healthytime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2e771176e9c6c351/6988f4f94ee26297d7310281/flu-shots.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jamie Ducharme","jobTitle":"Ducharme is a contributor to TIME.","url":"https://time.com/author/jamie-ducharme/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2e771176e9c6c351/6988f4f94ee26297d7310281/flu-shots.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Swine Flu Vaccinations Get Under Way In Germany","caption":"Swine Flu Vaccinations Get Under Way In Germany","creditText":"Andreas Rentz—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/public-health/","name":"Public Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5063158/seasonal-flu-death-rates-cdc/","name":"More People May Die from the Flu Each Year Than We Thought"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"5 Flu-Fighting Products Under $30","description":"5 Flu-Fighting Products Under $30","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/wcoliehG/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2017-11-20T22:09:45.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/wcoliehG.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5063158/seasonal-flu-death-rates-cdc/","duration":"PT1M29S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5063158/seasonal-flu-death-rates-cdc/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```