CareOne Answers: Flu forecast

It’s autumn again, and that means the kids are back in school, the leaves are changing colors … and the flu is back in season.

In this week’s CareOne Answers, Sharon Donaghue, RN, Senior Vice President of Operations for CareOne and HealthBridge Management centers, addresses common questions about influenza and provides helpful insight to help you navigate this year’s flu season.

What is the flu?
Influenza, or “flu,” is an extremely contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza A or B viruses. The flu virus attacks the body by spreading through the upper and/or lower respiratory tract.

What’s the difference between a cold and flu?
The common cold and flu are both contagious viral infections of the respiratory tract. Although their symptoms are similar, the flu is much worse. Congestion, sore throat and sneezing are common with colds. Both cold and flu bring coughing, headaches and chest discomfort. With the flu, though, you’re likely to run a high fever for several days and have fatigue and weakness. Complications from colds are relatively minor, but a severe case of the flu can lead to a serious illness such as pneumonia.

What sort of flu season is expected this year?
Flu seasons are unpredictable. The timing, severity and length of the season depends, in part, on what influenza viruses are spreading and whether they match the viruses in the flu vaccine.

Flu activity in the United States most commonly peaks in January or February; however, seasonal flu activity can occur as early as October and as late as May. At CareOne and HealthBridge centers, we begin to vaccinate against the flu as early as September.

How effective is the flu vaccine … really?
While there are many different flu viruses, the flu vaccine is designed to protect against the three main flu strains that research indicates will cause the most illness during the flu season. The 2010-2011 flu vaccine will protect against three different flu viruses: an H3N2 virus, an influenza B virus and the H1N1 virus that caused so much illness last season.

The effectiveness of the vaccine depends on the match between the viruses in the vaccine and the flu viruses that are circulating in the community. During well-matched years, clinical trials have shown vaccine effectiveness between 70 percent and 90 percent among healthy adults

Who should get the vaccine?
Earlier this year, vaccine experts voted that everyone ages 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every year. Vaccination is especially important for the following groups: 

• Pregnant women
• Children younger than age 5, and especially children younger than age 2
• People ages 50 and older
• People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
• People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care centers
• People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:
  • Health care workers
  • Household contacts of persons at high risk for flu complications
  • Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)

How can I prevent the flu?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends three measures to guard against the flu:

1. Get the flu vaccine.
2. Practice everyday prevention: Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer; cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and throw it in the trash; avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth; and stay home if you’re sick to avoid passing the flu to others.
3. Take antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them. Antivirals used within the first couple of days can decrease the severity of the flu and the length of time you’re sick; it may also mean fewer complications from the flu.

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