New: Weather Forecasts for a Virus?

This idea really appears to take social media to a whole new level. It isn’t an uncommon activities for almost everyone’s daily routine to wake up and check out the weather forecast so as to better plan for the events of the day. But by the same theory that the weather helps us to plan, wouldn’t it be awfully helpful if there was some way to plan the odds of when you would get sick.

The Possibilities of the Forecasting Study

The possibilities for such an idea are pretty much endless. Cold and flu virus can ruin a variety of big events. Any big wedding, work week or holiday traveler would love access to this kind of information about illness potential. And new research findings are showing that the probability of this happening, might not be very far off the mark!

A recent study which was published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Homeland Security, and the results  regarding illness potential (cold and flu virus) were very enlightening to say the least.

Cold and Flu Virus and Predicting Illness

During the wintertime months most people have a pretty good idea they might come down with a cold or flu virus. Either that, or an equally as inconvenient counterpart or secondary illness.  But the problem becomes from one area to another there is a big variable when it comes to when the flu season is most likely to hit. Northern areas and Southern areas could see the flu virus or another illness pass through their area at any time, and the pattern isn’t exactly one you could set your watch to – or is it?

Flu Illness and Tracking the Virus

Now science is showing that it is possible, using the same methods that are used to track weather to track the flu virus, and what areas it could be hitting next with success.

The prediction methods would have huge implications, and mean that planning your day could have a whole new meaning.  Scientists use online estimations of flu virus and other illnesses based on research from previous times of year. Then the information is pooled to predict what could possibly be the peak time for the virus to strike any given area based on the data.

The Findings on the Cold and Flu Prediction Research

Likely one of the most key pieces of information despite the idea that it is possible to happen at all, is that the “sick forecast” techniques could actually have a pretty small window, predicting illnesses and outbreaks of virus more than 7 weeks in advance of the probable peak.

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So now if you hear you have a percentage chance of getting sick, as opposed to having it rain or snow, you might not have to check your hearing. While there, as usual, are no guarantees the new sick forecasting science is in the works to become a successful method to predict the cold and flu virus coming, but also for other contagious illnesses as well.