Are You Ready for Flu Season?

Are You Prepared for Flu Season?

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Nov. 18, 2016 (HealthDay Information) -- With flu season proper across the nook, U.S. well being officers are urging everybody to get their flu shot now in order that they'll be shielded from the possibly severe issues of influenza.

"The truth that flu exercise hasn't picked up dramatically but means there may be loads of time for individuals to get vaccinated in the event that they have not already," stated Lynnette Brammer, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.

This 12 months's flu season is beginning out very like final 12 months, Brammer stated. At the moment, influenza H3N2 is the predominant pressure, she stated, though H1N1 can also be circulating. Final 12 months, the H3N2 virus began out because the dominant pressure, solely to be displaced by H1N1 as flu season hit full swing. "It ended up being an H1N1 season," she stated.

"It is much like a number of years proper now," Brammer added. "Issues ought to begin to decide up within the subsequent few weeks, however we'll see. Final 12 months, issues did not actually decide up till the primary of the 12 months. Proper now, there may be nothing that is actually regarding."

Final 12 months's flu season was significantly exhausting on older individuals.

In a typical flu season, flu issues -- together with pneumonia -- ship greater than 200,000 People to the hospital. Demise charges linked to flu range yearly, however have gone as excessive as 49,000 in a 12 months, in response to the CDC.

More often than not flu exercise peaks between December and March however can final as late as Might.

This 12 months's vaccine accommodates the strains at the moment circulating, which makes it a superb match, Brammer stated. The vaccine provide can also be good this 12 months, with greater than 131 million doses obtainable, she stated.

How efficient a vaccine is depends upon how good a match it's to the strains of flu virus circulating that 12 months. Most years, the vaccine is between 40 p.c and 60 p.c efficient, in response to the CDC.

The CDC recommends that anybody 6 months of age and older get a flu shot. "You need to make further certain for individuals at excessive threat -- together with pregnant ladies, the aged and anybody with a continual medical situation," Brammer stated.

Girls with newborns additionally have to get their flu shot to assist defend their infants, who cannot be vaccinated till they're not less than 6 months outdated. Additionally in danger are seniors and folks with continual well being issues, reminiscent of lung and coronary heart illness, the CDC stated.

Getting your flu shot quickly is necessary as a result of it could possibly take a number of weeks to supply sufficient antibodies to provide you most safety, officers famous.

One change this 12 months is that the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices doesn't advocate that the nasal spray vaccine be utilized by anybody, as a result of it appears much less efficient than a shot, Brammer stated.

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SOURCE: Lynnette Brammer, M.P.H., epidemiologist, influenza division, U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention