What IS going on with the flu this season?
In addition to the “regular” influenza strains, responsible for up to 200,000 hospitalizations and up to 36,000 deaths a year in this country, physicians and public health officials are preparing for the resurgence of the highly contagious H1N1 strain or the virus formerly known as “the swine flu”.
H1N1 has spread quickly across the globe since it first arrived late last spring. Scientists have been studying this virus closely, looking to see who it tends to infect, how easily it is spread, who seems to get the sickest and how it responds to antiviral medications.
Who is most at risk?
Epidemiologic studies have shown that H1N1 tends to affect a different subset of the population than the “regular” flu. Some experts theorize that a similar strain may have circulated decades ago, offering some protection to our senior populations.
Public health officials now feel that the groups most at risk for serious complications of H1N1 include pregnant women, children and young adults who are 6 months to 24 years, adults who are 25 to 64 years old with chronic medical conditions and healthcare and emergency personnel.
So what steps can you take to stay healthy?
Cover your mouth and nose
To prevent the spread of thousands of viral particles, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Don’t forget to throw away your tissue after you have used it.
Wash your hands
After you cover your mouth, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Many viruses spread by contact and can live on door knobs, computer keyboards, ATM touch pads or on your clothes for hours.
Washing your hands often and not touching your eyes, nose or mouth will help prevent you from being infected. Using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer can also help kill viral particles. Consider carrying an alcohol based sanitizer with you and sending a small container for your kids to use at school.
Stay home!
If you’ve got it, keep it to yourself. If your have flu-like symptoms of fever, aches, cough or congestion, please stay home from school, work and soccer practice.
Most people who contract influenza will have mild symptoms and may not need to see their doctor, but can improve with rest, fluids and symptomatic care. Please call your doctor before coming in to the office to reduce the spread of germs to others.
What about medications?
Two prescription antiviral medications (Tamiflu and Relenza) appear to be effective in treating the more severe cases of H1N1. These medications may slow the reproduction of this virus in your body, helping you recover more quickly and reducing your contagiousness to others. They are most effective if started within the first two days of symptoms.
Not every patient will need an antiviral medication. Overuse of antiviral and antibiotic medications can result in resistant strains of germs. The “regular” flu strains have largely become resistant to antivirals.
What about the flu shot(s) and are they safe?
Because the H1N1 appeared so late in the spring, scientists were unable to add H1N1 coverage to this year’s flu vaccine. As a result, we will have two different flu vaccines this year, a “regular” flu vaccine and an H1N1 vaccine. The “regular” flu vaccine is arriving in doctor’s offices now and the H1N1 vaccine will likely be available in October.
Safety studies are now being conducted on the new H1N1 vaccine. The H1N1 vaccine is created in a similar fashion to our annual flu vaccine and we have no reason to believe that it will carry a different safety profile that the traditional flu vaccine.
Who should get the “regular” flu shot?
Individuals at highest risk from influenza-related complications include people with asthma and other chronic diseases of the lungs, heart or kidneys, people over 65, pregnant women, children between 6 months and 18 years and others who will be in contact with these high-risk groups.
Who should get the “H1N1” vaccine?
First priority for the H1N1 vaccine will include children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years, people who live with or care for children under 6 months of age, pregnant women, children 5 through 18 with chronic medical conditions and healthcare and emergency services personnel.
Will you need two?
If you are in the high risk groups for both the “regular” and H1N1 strains of influenza, you should consider getting both vaccines this season. Medical personnel will be working hard to distribute the “regular” vaccine in the months of September and October, so that they can then focus on distributing the H1N1 vaccine when it arrives in late October.
When my patients ask me about what I think about the flu, I recommend using common sense, staying home if you feel sick, washing your hands often and getting the appropriate vaccines if you are in a high risk group. This simple advice should help you and your family have a healthier season.
Dr. Dan Brennan is a board-certified pediatrician and Santa Barbara native who gives flu vaccine to his wife and two boys. His column can be found in the Daily Sound on alternating Fridays. Please contact him at 563-6211 or visit www.SBPediatrics.com.