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After a flu season 2017-18 considered by many to be the worst in 40 years, health officials in the Tampa Bay area warned residents to get vaccinated early.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 80,000 people in the United States, including 180 children, died of the flu last season. About 900,000 people were hospitalized, including Tampa Bay.
Residents and visitors flooded the bay's emergency rooms in early 2018. Pinellas was one of the state's most active counties when it came to outbreaks in high season. Influenza – like cases have been reported at higher levels in Florida earlier this year compared to the peak of the last two influenza seasons, health officials said.
The state has reported 515 outbreaks in total and at least six child deaths from influenza since October 2017.
"This year, we were very worried because last year was very bad, we have seen a very high number of child deaths," said Jill Roberts, assistant professor at the College of Public Health in Toronto. University of South Florida. "The main concern is that people are less likely to receive the vaccine, which will have a downstream effect and more serious consequences."
Doctors say it's too early to tell if this flu season will be as bad as the previous one. However, the Florida Department of Health said it was already preparing for the appearance of new outbreaks expected in the coming weeks.
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"As our flu season peaks in the first months of the year, early vaccination provides protection during the holiday season when many gather for family celebrations and events," the department said in a statement. .
So people should not wait, say the doctors. Most encourage their patients to be vaccinated against the flu before Halloween this year. Some medical organizations urged parents to vaccinate their children as soon as the vaccine became available last month, Roberts said.
Meanwhile, influenza vaccine promotions are already in full swing.
Publix offers, for a limited time, gift cards worth $ 10 to people who get shot in a store pharmacy.
Local health services are offering free vaccines in their clinics this month. The first day of free clinic in Pinellas will be October 17th.
In state Florida Blue centers, patients can be vaccinated for free from 10 am to noon every Thursday of the month. Carrollwood's Florida Hospital Centra Care offers free Monday snapshots. And the USF College of Public Health will hold a free flu day on October 19 on campus.
Adults 65 years and older and children are at greatest risk of serious complications from influenza-like illness.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Pinellas is at the center of an increase in flu outbreaks in Florida
"Many people still believe that the flu vaccine can give them the flu, even if that is not scientifically possible," said Roberts, a professor at USF. "Another hurdle is access to care issues – it can be difficult to get vaccinated and work with your insurance to cover it."
The high activity of last year is attributed to a number of factors, the first being the low number of people vaccinated. Another factor was an influenza strain so common that it affected older people more than any other age group. According to the CDC, most people who died of influenza last year were over 65 years old.
Another problem: last year's influenza vaccine was criticized for being less effective than in previous years. But doctors warn that the vaccine is always better than the complete lack of defense.
"Even though there is a chance that the efficiency rate is low, it is still above zero," said Roberts. "It's better than nothing."
Contact Justine Griffin at [email protected] or (727) 893-8467. Follow @SunBizGriffin.
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