Tulane study indicates flu spreads through Super Bowl celebrations

On Sunday, the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos will face off in Santa Clara, California, for Super Bowl 50.

Researchers from Tulane University analyzed county-level statistics from 1974 to 2009 and found that having a team in the Super Bowl led to, on average, an 18 percent increase in flu deaths among adults over 65 years old, a population more vulnerable to serious complications from the flu.

“You have friends over for a Super Bowl party”.

In the cities that have hosted the Super Bowl over the years, the researchers found no increase in flu deaths, something they say might be attributable to the fact that the game is often played in warmer cities. “It’s that kind of disease transmission that we think might be a driving factor”.

“It’s people that are staying at home and hosting small local gatherings, so your Super Bowl party, that are actually passing influenza among themselves”, said Charles Stoecker.

The analysts discovered that cities with a team in the Super Bowl had a rise in flu deaths for people 65 years old and above. And since older people are the most susceptible to dying from the flu, that’s really bad news for them. It could be that individual’s relative is at a bar and then he visits his parents.

So, why do team’s home cities get all achy and sniffly around the time of the big game?

The researchers propose that anyone hosting a party remind guests to wash their hands and avoid sharing drinks or food during parties.

Sanders concluded, “Simply being aware of the situation can make people take common-sense precautions, and say, ‘Well, I’m not going to shove my hand in that bowl of nuts over there.’ I think that’s just good advice in general”.

However, the study did not find an increase in flu deaths in areas that host the Super Bowl.

Stoecker, Tulane’s Alan Barreca and Nicholas J. Sanders of William & Mary published the results of research last month in the American Journal of Health Economics. For additional information, see this Cornell Chronicle story.