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For the first time, St. Luke also offers a specific vaccination to a slightly younger audience, the 50 to 64 age group.
Known as Flublok, or technically the recombinant flu vaccine, it was previously used for people with egg allergy, said Sherry Johnson, a Nurse Practitioner of St. John's Infectious Disease Associates. It appeared that even though the normal vaccine is made in an egg-based culture, people with egg allergy are not, she said.
But in what she called a small study – about 10,000 people – published last year in the New England Journal of Medicine, those in the age group of 50 to 64 years of age were not able to do so. were better off with Flublok than with the traditional vaccine, Johnson said.
"So St. Luke has adopted it, we will try it," she said. "We'll see what the outcome will be at the end of the flu season, but we hope we'll see fewer people with the flu in this age group."
Essentia Health uses the regular vaccine for 50-64 year olds, said Dr. Rajesh Prabhu, infectious disease specialist at Essentia. He was cautious about the possible advantage with Flublok.
"I do not think there is enough information to say it with certainty," Prabhu said. "It's hard to compare vaccines because the flu changes every year, maybe (a year) was a good year for the recombinant vaccine, but maybe next year it's will not be better than the ordinary. "
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not recommend one or the other, he added.
The central offices of Walgreens and CVS, both of which offer influenza vaccines, have not answered a question about the specific vaccines they provide.
Essentia and St. Luke both offer the high-dose vaccine to people 65 years of age and older.
"All it means is that they put more flu particles or antigens in the vaccine compared to the standard dose," Prabhu said.
The 65+ version has proven to be four times more powerful than the regular version, Johnson said.
Why not give it to everyone?
"Because they probably do not need it," Johnson said. "In the elderly, we see this declining immune system, and younger people have a stronger immune system."
Adults who are under 65 years old but have weakened immune systems sometimes ask for the higher dose vaccine, she said. But as this is not recommended by the CDC, it may not be covered by insurance.
For those under 50, nasal spray vaccination is back.
For a few years he was not available because he was not deemed effective enough, said Johnson. But it has been improved and is now recommended by the CDC for 49 and under. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics has always indicated that she preferred an injectable vaccine to children.
"They are worried about past failures," said Johnson. "Still, I would say that the flu shot vaccine for someone who would not get any vaccine (if not) would be a great idea."
The CDC recommends getting a flu shot by the end of October. Health systems, as well as pharmacists, nursing homes and many workplaces, facilitate vaccination. The shots are covered by most insurance plans. They are recommended by everyone from 6 months.
This year's flu preparedness comes after the worst flu season in decades. According to CDC data, 80,000 people died of the flu in the 2017-2018 season, the Washington Post reported last week. The highest precedent, in an analysis spanning more than 30 years, was 56,000.
The number includes 180 pediatric deaths in 2017-18, the highest number since these figures began to be collected in 2004. About four in five dead children who died have not been vaccinated, the CDC reported. .
In Minnesota, five children died of the flu during the last season, the state health department announced. The vaccination rate of children in the state was 62%, slightly better than the previous two years and better than the national rate of just 58%.
Overall, the effectiveness of the influenza A and B vaccine has been estimated at 40% during the last influenza season, the CDC reported.
It's not great, said Johnson, but it's better than nothing.
"You have to remember that even during last year's flu season when we were really disappointed with the performance of the flu vaccine, it still saved lives," she said. "Even though we still see flu in vaccinated people, it is likely to be less severe."
She did the experiment herself, said Johnson. She was vaccinated against the flu before the influenza season last year and still caught the flu. But the symptoms lasted only one day.
There is no sure way to predict what this flu season will look like, Prabhu and Johnson said, but there is at least one encouraging sign.
"If things go well, we all focused on Australia last year." Look, they have a bad flu season, it will be a bad season for us, "said Prabhu." And they have a lenient season (this year). This is the problem of the flu. Every year will not be a severe flu season. "
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