And the Answer Is...
Answer: New England Patriots
Do Patriots fans need to protect themselves against the flu because of the harsh New England winters? Do deflated footballs increase influenza risks? Is Tom Brady’s latest haircut to blame? No, the New England Patriots are the odds-on favorite to win Super Bowl LI and, if a study published earlier this year is to be believed, fans in the cities of teams that play for the title are at increased risk of coming down with the flu. In fact, the researchers said the risk of influenza deaths increases by as much as 18% among individuals older than 65 years who live in championship cities.
Why? The NFL playoffs begin in January and run through early February, so fans often gather in bars and restaurants or at each other’s homes to root on the home team during the height of the flu season. It’s during those festive gatherings and when Doritos and Buds (official NFL sponsors!) are shared that flu transmission is more likely to occur. The researchers believed there would be a link between cities with Super Bowl success and influenza mortality, but they were surprised by the magnitude of the association, according to study lead author Dr. Charles Stoecker, an assistant professor in the department of global health management and policy at Tulane University in New Orleans. He said their informal calculations suggested postseason success would result in approximately 100 additional influenza deaths.
The researchers suggested fans of successful NFL teams should be educated about how the flu is spread and reminded to wash their hands frequently and avoid sharing food and drinks as they root their teams on. And yes, fans in Cleveland should still get flu shots, even though the Browns are the longest shot to win it all. What about Dr. Stoecker’s New Orleans Saints? He said fans are eternally optimistic in the Big Easy, so he’ll definitely get a flu shot.
—Dan Cook
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