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Health experts call for vaccine as flu season approaches
Masking and other coronavirus precautions had an added benefit last winter as flu cases fell to historically low levels. But with the reopening of schools and businesses, the resumption of travel and much less masking, the flu could be making a comeback. (Sep 30)
PA
More than 4 in 10 Americans are unsure or do not plan to get a flu shot this year, a worrying trend according to public health experts could exacerbate a worse-than-average flu season, according to a new survey.
Concerns over the past year over a flu and COVID-19 “twinemia” crushing hospitals across the country have thankfully remained unfounded after a historically mild flu season.
But with COVID-19 vaccinations giving many people a return to a more “normal” life of socializing and working in person during flu season, hospitals and health systems could be strained in some. parts of the country where vaccination against the two viruses remains low, doctors say. .
“We are particularly concerned because COIVD exists,” said Dr. William Schaffner, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. “The flu is coming back this year. And we don’t want to further stress our already very stressed health care system.”
And while COVID-19 cases are declining nationally, there are parts of the country “where a large portion of the population is under-vaccinated against COVID,” Schaffner said. “COVID will remain active in these parts of the country. And then if you add the flu to that, I think in some parts of the country we could have a tough winter. “
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A survey of more than 1,000 American adults commissioned by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases found that while more than 60% of Americans agreed that the flu shot was the best way to prevent death and hospitalizations from the flu, 44% said they were not sure or did not plan to get a flu shot this year.
The causes of influenza vaccine reluctance may be less political than the divisions that motivate skepticism about the COVID-19 vaccine, Schaffner said. It’s an annual practice, and unlike polio or measles vaccines, which have virtually eradicated these diseases in the United States, the flu persists.
The main reason given for hesitation in the flu vaccine by the adults surveyed was that it did not work very well.
Schaffner said that while the flu shot is by no means perfect, it still offers significant protection against hospitalization and death.
“It would be great if we had a vaccine that was even more effective than what we have,” said Dr Thomas Holland, infectious disease specialist at Duke University Hospital. “But the fact remains that the most effective means, the best tool available to us to prevent influenza infections, hospitalizations and deaths is the annual vaccine.”
Everything you need to know about flu shots: When should I get one? And the COVID booster?
Survey respondents also said they would not get the flu shot because they had never had the flu, worried about side effects, didn’t consider the flu a serious illness, or feared getting the flu. flu from the vaccine.
The flu shot cannot give people the flu, and the side effects indicate an appropriate immune response in the body. It can also be received at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Holland said about half of Americans get their flu shot in a typical year. But immunity wanes much faster compared to COVID-19 vaccines, and influenza viruses change every year, requiring annual injections.
However, with so few people exposed to the flu virus last season, people won’t have the additional disease defense potential that natural immunity can provide, he said.
The 2020-2021 influenza season was virtually nonexistent. Public health laboratories and clinics reported 2,038 cases of the flu during the season from September 27, 2020 to April 24, according to the CDC.
Schaffner said much of the drop was due to social distancing and mask-wearing practiced across the country to prevent the spread of COVID-19. With many of those restrictions relaxed, Schaffner expects the flu to return.
The return of many children to classrooms poses a significant threat of transmission, he added, given that children shed the flu virus much more and for longer periods of time than adults.
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One of the potential benefits of the pandemic has been an increased willingness by people to stay home when sick rather than fueling illness and potentially passing it on to others, Holland said.
The survey found that 45% of Americans said they were more likely to stay home from work or school when sick due to the pandemic. A majority also said they would wear a mask at least sometimes during this flu season.
To increase the number of vaccinations, Schaffner said doctors should make the flu shot a priority in their messages. Often times, it’s an afterthought at the end of a visit.
“Health care providers of all kinds shouldn’t just be influenza vaccine recommenders, they should be influenza vaccine pushers,” Schaffner said.
Contribution: Adrianna Rodriguez
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