Health
Health officials predict wild flu season in Iowa this year
Iowa could enter severe flu season This year, health officials say.
Seasonal flu is unpredictable, but there are indicators that this year’s respiratory virus strains could be serious.
Coupled with reduced caution about wearing masks and social distancing, public health officials and other health care providers say it’s important for people in Iowa to get their flu shot right away.
Hy-Vee Chief Medical Officer Daniel Fick, Ph.D.
To predict each season, epidemiologists are studying how the virus spreads in Australia and the rest of the Southern Hemisphere. The Southern Hemisphere starts its flu season earlier than the United States.
As of this month, Australia is nearing the end of its worst flu season in five years. The number of cases was about three times his five-year average and peaked about two months earlier than usual. government surveillance report.
Polk County Health Commissioner Helen Eddy said Iowa and the rest of the country “could easily see the same thing.”
“Our community should take this information seriously and get a flu shot to protect yourself and your family.
more:Flu could come back violently, kids could be at risk, experts say
Why the flu is expected to be a big epidemic this fall
In the latest phase of the pandemic, Iowa has also suspended coronavirus mitigation strategies that have mostly kept flu and other respiratory viruses at bay.
Fick, who is also a family physician at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinic, said wearing masks and reducing social isolation this winter will help the flu spread.
Fick advised people in Iowa to get a flu shot as soon as possible.
September and October are “sweet spots” for individuals to vaccinate, Fick said. By the time the vacation comes, they should be protected from serious illness.
Individuals can receive the flu vaccine at the same time. new coronavirus booster shotwas approved by federal health officials earlier this month.
Will ‘Twindemic’ return this year?
Health officials have often warned about the impact of a “storm” (COVID-19 and flu) on the state’s healthcare system.
But Fick says that risk is likely low this year.
The state’s population has better immune defenses against the coronavirus than earlier in the pandemic, either through vaccination or previous infections.The latest omicron variants still pose a risk to vulnerable groups, but new virus strains less likely to cause serious illness.
If a new, more serious variant emerges, the state’s health system is ready to respond, Fick said.
“Neither a new strain of COVID-19 nor a bad strain of influenza is going to creep up on us,” Fick said.
Polk County health officials say it’s possible to have COVID-19 and the flu at the same time, especially if the number of cases is high. If an individual is ill, they should contact their health care provider for testing and guidance on how to treat the ailment.
more:Coronavirus watch: Flu could come back in a frenzy
How many people died from the flu last year?
Iowa reported 42 flu deaths during the 2021-22 season, according to the Iowa State. state surveillance report.
increase from 6 deaths We attribute the 2020-21 season in large part to the precautions taken by public health officials due to the pandemic.
This compares to 103 fatalities in the 2019-20 season. At least 270 Iowans died from the flu in 2017-2018.
During the 2021-2022 flu season, the United States saw between 8 and 13 million flu-related illnesses. provisional estimate From the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Federal health officials also reported as many as 170,000 flu-related hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths.
What happened to flu vaccination coverage during the pandemic?
The number of Iowans getting flu shots has declined over the past two years, despite public health officials stressing the importance of the vaccine.
Last year, 34% of the state’s population (1,072,588) received a flu shot, down nearly 5% from the previous year. according to the data From the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.
The 2019-20 season had the highest statewide vaccination coverage in the past five years, with 40% of Iowa vaccinated.
Polk County reported that 37% of the population received the flu vaccine last year. This is down from nearly 44% who were vaccinated in the 2019-20 season.
Annual vaccines are prescribed based on the prominent strains detected in the Southern Hemisphere. Even if it’s not strictly true, flu shots are effective against serious illness, says Fick.
“Vaccines dramatically reduce sickness, hospitalizations and deaths,” he said. “It can’t prevent infection, but it can signal to the body and immune system that the virus is approaching.”
Where can I get the flu vaccination?
Influenza vaccine is recommended for everyone over the age of 6 months.
The Polk County Health Department began administering flu vaccines earlier this week. Reservations are required and are available Monday through Friday from 9 AM to noon and 1 PM to 4 PM.
Individuals can make appointments at immunizepolk.com.
Public Health officials in Polk County will host community-based flu vaccination clinics throughout the Des Moines metropolitan area in the coming weeks. The schedule for these clinics is polkcountyiowa.gov/health-department/clinical-services/seasonal-flu.
People in Iowa can get the flu shot at clinics and at most major retail pharmacies, including Hy-Vee, which began offering the vaccine last month.
Many Hy-Vee pharmacy locations will be offering drive-thru flu shot clinics from Sept. 6 through Oct. 17, officials said. hy-vee.com/my-pharmacy/vaccine-consent.
What are the symptoms of flu?
According to the CDC, common flu symptoms include:
- heat
- cough
- sore throat
- runny or stuffy nose
- body pain
- headache
- Malaise
Anyone can get the flu, but those at higher risk of developing complications are young people, the elderly, and people with certain chronic medical conditions, such as asthma.
Michaela Ramm is in charge of healthcare for the Des Moines Register. She can be reached at her [email protected], (319) 339-7354, or on her Twitter (@Michaela_Ramm).
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