Predicting the flu so you can avoid it

Imagine being able to predict when the flu might strike your town, a bit like how meteorologists predict when a storm is heading your way. Think about what companies or hospitals or even you could do to prepare. That's exactly what infectious disease experts at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health are doing. They've figured out a way to forecast the flu. Their model is a huge advance, as most current models mapping the flu look backward instead of forward. The team won a contest sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called "Predict the Influenza Season Challenge." http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/10/health/flu-prediction-model/index.html?hpt=hp_c2