Here’s what you need to know about this year’s flu shot

The situation is getting worse as it has been the last few months living at risk of coronaviruses. Fall is approaching, and with it, another respiratory virus, the flu, that causes thousands of Americans to enter the hospital each year.

Be prepared for the onslaught of public service messages asking you to take shots not only to protect yourself and your vulnerable loved ones, but also for the entire health system already strained by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hospitals are often full in December and January. Flu season Fort Worth’s chairman of allergy and immunology, Susan Bailey, chairman of the American Medical Association, said it worked really well. “If the hospital is already full of coronavirus patients, where do the flu patients go?” she asked. The AMA encourages influenza vaccines every year, but a larger campaign with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Ad Council is planned for this year.

To further complicate the problem, the symptoms of influenza and COVID-19 are so similar that doctors cannot distinguish them without a test. A new test that can detect influenza A, influenza B, and COVID-19 has received emergency approval from the FDA but is not yet available. That is, the patient may need two tests to get a diagnosis

There are antiviral drugs for the flu so doctors need to know what they are dealing with. More importantly, it is necessary to quarantine those infected with the coronavirus.

Doctors also know that patients can be infected with coronavirus and influenza at the same time. They still don’t know if it causes worse illness than either causes it alone, but deduces it may. Influenza and coronavirus tend to be the most dangerous for the same group, the elderly and those with chronic health problems. There are still no vaccines against coronaviruses, they said, but you can do something about the flu.

“I don’t want to prey on the flu,” said LJ Tan, Chief Strategy Officer of the Vaccine Action Committee, a nonprofit organization that promotes vaccination.

But concerns about coronaviruses could make vaccination more difficult, said William Schaffner, director of medicine at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NFID) and professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Stated. He said telemedicine is unable to deliver the vaccine and other types of vaccination coverage are falling.

“We are very concerned about that,” he said. “We need to be vaccinated against the flu, but there are obstacles to achieving it.”

The Foundation is also strengthening the spread of vaccines, especially for people with chronic illnesses.

On the other hand, the demand for things that may feel like the rarely needed administrative actions can be unusually high.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the pharmaceutical company has announced that it will produce vaccines this season from 175 million people last year to 194 million to 198 million times. Pennsylvania’s health department has reached 860,000 people, more than double the usual dose, said state health secretary Rachel Levine. There are more in New Jersey.

Many government vaccines go to the county health department, people in Medicaid, and users of the federal health center. Amber Timaru, vaccination program manager at the Department of Health in Philadelphia, said this year that the health department could inject people regardless of insurance status. “CDC recognizes its importance, Influenza vaccine She said the city’s vaccination campaign would probably start in October.

Some clinics have not yet received the flu vaccine, but some pharmacies have already signaled that it is time to get the vaccine.

With all of these in mind, here are some answers to some questions.

When do I need to get a shot?

Ideally, according to the doctor, it’s best to wait until September or October. Schaffner proposes mid-September to mid-November. The effect of the shot weakens over time. Most people stay strong for about six months, but people over the age of 65 tend to lose immunity faster. Waiting a bit longer to get a shot increases your chances of being protected until the end of the season (usually around March or April). However, it takes two weeks to get the full benefits of the shot, so you need to get it before the case becomes common in the fall. In most cases, it will be November. If you are not ill, you can take a shot in the spring.

But take it if it is convenient to get it earlier, especially if you are young and healthy. “There is always the best time to get the flu vaccine,” Levine said, whose agent will start the push around Labor Day.

Does Influenza Vaccination Prevent COVID-19?

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Is this a bad flu season?

This is unpredictable. Scientists look at countries in the Southern Hemisphere to see which strains of influenza are likely to spread here. But Thomas Fekete, Infection Experts at Temple University Hospital don’t always say it’s good at predicting case numbers in the United States because the populations are so different. So far, Australia, where Tan has announced an increase in influenza vaccination coverage this year, seems to be in a mild season. Schaffner said Chile and Brazil, countries where the United States usually pays attention to predicting influenza, are “flooding” with coronaviruses, which lack the resources to track the flu.

Measures to prevent COVID-19 (wearing masks, washing hands, keeping distance) should also reduce the spread of influenza, but compliance is poor in this country.

Schaffner said Australia and New Zealand have prioritized social distances, testing and contact tracking. “There is no such commitment in the United States,” he said.

Shots are an easy way to add protection. “Once again, we’ll see people die as a result of the flu, and we want to prevent as many of those deaths as possible,” said Joseph Teal, a family doctor who is vice chair of clinical surgery at Penn Medical. It was

What flu shot should I get?

There are types that protect against 3 types of viruses (trivalent) and types that protect against 4 types of viruses (tetravalent). The doctor said that if you had the option, you should go to tetravalent. People over the age of 65 are advised to get a high dose version of shots suitable for the elderly.

However, do not hesitate if a particular option is not available. “I think it’s the best vaccine for someone,” said AMA’s Bailey, “they’re easy to get.”

Who should get the flu shot?

This shot is recommended for most people over 6 months. Fekete said the children should be vaccinated because they are the epidemics of the big flu. According to Tan, less than half of the people who are vaccinated against the flu will actually get the flu.

Where do I need to get a shot this year?

According to Tan, one-fifth of people are used to getting vaccines through their employers. If you’re currently working from home, you may need to look for alternatives such as a pharmacy, an emergency center, a doctor’s office, or a vaccination drive.

Bailey recommends calling your doctor to see if he or she has a shot. Schaffner said some doctors are due Flu vaccination It’s an early or late workday appointment, so you can make it quickly and efficiently. The virus is unlikely to spread outdoors, so some may be done outdoors for additional coronavirus protection.

A CVS spokesman said the chain will start booking vaccines next month, which will help customers get in and out quickly. Thiel said Penn’s clinic is currently planning another location to improve efficiency.

Mr Tan said he heard that he was planning a vaccination that would allow his arms to stick out of the window. Another possibility is an outdoor shot for pedestrians, or a vaccination station under a tent.

How will the government track the flu this year?

In the past, government surveillance systems have relied on tracking people with flu-like symptoms in some situations. We also followed hospitalizations and deaths associated with flu-like symptoms and pneumonia. Currently, there are two viruses that cause similar symptoms and pneumonia.

“It will be a challenge,” Levine admitted.

Twice as many seasons as influenza/coronavirus means that more tests will be done for both viruses. “Don’t just say that someone has flu-like symptoms,” Levine said.

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