Super flu is hitting Florida residents hard

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Doctors say the surge in cases is due to four factors that could make the disease more severe than usual.

• This year's flu season, dubbed the “super flu,” is predicted to be even worse than last year, which was the worst in seven years.
• The predominant H3N2 strain is highly contagious and emerged after vaccines were developed this year, reducing their effectiveness.
• Doctors still recommend getting the flu vaccine to reduce the severity of illness and reduce the risk of hospitalization.
• Contributing factors to the difficult season include low vaccination rates, vaccine skepticism, and an imperfect match between vaccines and circulating viruses.

last year flu season It was Worst in 7 yearsaccording to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, and This year's surge It's possible to exceed that.

It has become known as the “super flu,” and the latest surveillance data released by the CDC on January 5 shows that Florida and 29 other states are now in the top tier of “very high” influenza activity.

“Hospitalization rates this season are higher than they have been since 2011,” said Dr. David Billmeier, a family physician at Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach. “Young children and people over 75 are at the highest risk.”

General practitioners and specialist doctors say the surge in cases is due to four factors that can make the disease more severe than usual.

First, the voices about the effectiveness and safety of vaccines in general are louder than ever. That's reflected in unprecedented state and federal efforts to reduce vaccines recommended for children and persistent questions about coronavirus vaccines.

State data shows the percentage of adults vaccinated against the flu remained near 40% for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, but has since gradually declined. In addition, the dominant strain is more contagious, and the vaccines being distributed this year are less suited to combat emerging strains than in the past.

Here's what you need to know to protect yourself from a virus that has killed tens of thousands of people in recent years and ranks about 12th among viruses likely to go to the grave.

Why is it called “super influenza”?

The genetic makeup of this year's influenza protein is known as H3N2. This is a variant of influenza A infection that increases the risk of transmission among populations.

“We haven't had much exposure to that type of virus before, which means very few people have developed their own immunity,” said Dr. Larry Bush, an infectious disease expert in Wellington.

Additionally, the virus emerged after this year's vaccines were developed, so the flu's defenses aren't necessarily genetically suited to fight off the virus's attackers, said Dr. Luis Peña Hernandez, a pulmonologist at Tampa General Hospital's Respiratory Care and Sleep Institute with offices in Wellington and Atlantis.

“This type of mutation increases the risk of spread among the population and reduces to some extent the effectiveness of vaccines created for the 2025-2026 season,” Peña Hernandez said.

Does that mean the vaccine is not worth it?

Doctors agree that this is not the case at all. Even though the current dominant strain is not a perfect match for the vaccine, researchers say vaccination will make the virus less violent no matter when you get infected. This is much like the first COVID-19 vaccine. It did not prevent the onset of the disease, but it did reduce its severity.

“Vaccination is one of the most important means of preventing serious diseases,” Peña Hernández said.

“I always tell my patients that getting vaccinated is like holding an umbrella when it's raining,” he said.

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Vaccines, like umbrellas, may not be able to stay completely “dry” so that you don't get sick at all. But the benefits are hard to overlook, doctors agree.

“It (getting vaccinated) means you could be at risk of getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, or even dying…the chances are lower,” Peña Hernandez said.

more: Coronavirus vaccines: From pandemic game changer to complex flashpoint

Wellington's President Bush agrees: “The primary purpose of the vaccine is to prevent you from getting seriously ill and ending up in the emergency room or dying. Well, we hope that means you don't get the flu. That's the secondary part of the vaccine.”

Is it too late to get a flu shot?

Although it takes several weeks for the vaccine to strengthen your immune system to fight the flu, doctors agree that getting vaccinated now is still a good idea.

“I recommend getting a flu shot as soon as possible,” said Billmeyer, of Daytona Beach, who also runs a clinical trial research site.

Doctors usually recommend getting a flu shot by the end of October, but flu season lasts until May. If you get it now, you'll be prepared for much of the flu season, which typically runs through February.

What should I do if I get the flu?

Bush, director of infectious disease control at Wellington Regional Medical Center, recommends seeing a doctor and getting a prescription for Tamiflu. Tamiflu is recommended as a preventative measure if someone in your household gets the flu or if you yourself get the flu.

“If you take Tamiflu and other drugs (baloxavir) within 48 hours, there is a huge benefit in that you reduce your chances of getting seriously ill,” Bush said.

What is happening with the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19)?

The virus that caused the pandemic that briefly froze the country has declined dramatically. According to the latest data from the CDC, the number of hospitalizations per 100,000 people is 0.08. This compares to the 2021-22 season peak of 35 hospitalizations per 100,000 people.

Still, the hangover from the pandemic has led to a significant amount of what President Bush calls “vaccine fatigue.”

“There's a lot of commentary in a lot of news outlets about the benefits, risks, or lack of benefits of vaccines, and people are questioning that information,” Bush said. “That means vaccine uptake for influenza this year is below average.”

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See how the impact of COVID-19 vaccines has gone from savior to controversy as doubt and polarization rises.

He said reports of side effects from vaccines pale in comparison to the benefits society derives from them, even though the current state general surgeon, Joseph Ladapo, is leading a movement to make vaccines completely optional when children start school.

“What I tell people is that what changed the world was vaccination and clean water — not antibiotics or heart surgery, but vaccines,” Bush said. “How many people have you met who have gotten smallpox? How many people have you met who have gotten tetanus? How many people have you met who got rubella, mumps, or chickenpox after a vaccine or measles? You don't know.”

Still, there are warnings that a total of 2,000 measles cases per year will be recorded in 2025, the highest in decades, putting the United States at risk of losing its “measles-free” designation. In November, the Pan American Health Organization removed Canada from its list of measles-free countries.

Regarding the threat of the new coronavirus, President Bush said it does not appear to be causing much harm at this time due to widespread exposure to the virus.

“Everyone in this country, if you've been outside, you've been exposed to the coronavirus in some way,” he said.

Ann Geggis is a statewide reporter for USA TODAY NETWORK FLORIDA, reporting on health and aging issues. If you have a news tip, send it to [email protected]. Sign up for our free Florida TODAY newsletter at https://palmbeachpost.com/newsletters to get all of Florida's best content straight to your inbox every weekday.

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