A Beijing family’s flu-season story revealed the strain of hospital access, ICU care, oxygen supply, medical costs, and emergency decision-making in China’s health system.

Summary

Name a fatal disease? The answer could be cancer, heart disease, or even AIDS. But how could flu kill people in such a short period? What is living in the flu season in China like? The flu has never been so brutal like what it was this winter. Globally, 2018 has definitely been a bad year for flu patients: both influenza A and B strains are circulating at the same time; flu vaccines are less effective than expected. 170 children were killed this season so far, and the number still seems to be increasing. Read more