FROM THE AMA: STAT reports the flu season “is off to an early start this year” and could “peak over the holidays,” a new CDC indicates. The piece says the “wildly unpredictable” flu viruses leave experts uncertain of precisely how extensive the season will be, but the CDC’s weekly flu reports offer updated predictions and data, with the most recent report showing “that Louisiana and Oklahoma already have widespread flu activity and some nearby states are heating up too.” According to CDC influenza epidemiologist Lynnette Brammer, who leads flu reporting, “If it continues to go up like it has the last couple of weeks, yeah, we could have a fair amount of activity right at Christmas.”
BLOGFINGER MEDICAL REPORT: By Paul Goldfinger, MD, FACC
From the Nov. 29, 2017 NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE: “Seasonal influenza epidemics cause 3 million to 5 million severe cases and 300,000 to 500,000 deaths globally each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The United States alone sees 140,000 to 710,000 influenza-related hospitalizations and 12,000 to 56,000 deaths each year, with the highest burden of disease affecting the very young, the very old, and people with coexisting medical conditions. (BF bold print)
“However imperfect, though, current influenza vaccines remain a valuable public health tool, and it is always better to get vaccinated than not to get vaccinated. In this regard, the CDC estimates that influenza vaccination averted 40,000 deaths in the United States between the 2005–2006 and 2013–2014 seasons.2 Yet we can do better.”
It is difficult and unpredictable to get the virus profile to be accurate, because the profiling is done early in the year, and virus mutations can appear, leaving your flu shot to have a reduced efficacy. Usually flu shots are 40% to 60% effective, but this year, according to the New England Journal of Medicine, “The preliminary estimate of vaccine effectiveness against influenza A (H3N2) was only 10%.” They are referring to the Southern Hemisphere experience earlier this year in Australia. H3N2 is the main offender so far, although there may be others emerging now. The transmission of the influenza virus has been accelerating sharply in the US at this time.
So, if you haven’t yet had a flu shot, rush out and get one. Most drug stores offer it. If you are a member of a high risk group, such older folks (over age 65) or those with chronic illnesses, try to avoid exposure in places with many people in close contact. And stay away from anyone who has a “cold” or, especially, has flu-like symptoms including fever, cough, chills, muscle aches, congestion, runny nose, headaches, and marked fatigue.
If you have such symptoms, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication, such as Tamiflu, if you call early in the course of your illness.
And don’t forget frequent hand washing.
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