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Karen Pagliaro gets a flu shot every year.
She has never had the flu.
Pagliaro, director of community and government relations at Hartford HealthCare at Home and who oversees the flu program, is currently participating in an election campaign with health officials across the state. Their platform: Get vaccinated against the flu.
"You're protecting yourself against an illness that can lead to hospitalization or even death, and you're protecting others from this serious illness," said Pagliaro, whose health care network offers several flu clinics up until the end of the day. as of November 20 in various central cities and Eastern Connecticut, including Hebron, Franklin and Lebanon. "Last year, we administered approximately 11,000 influenza vaccines in the state.We vaccinated children ages 4 and older and adults of all ages."
Health officials in Connecticut confirmed earlier this week the first flu-related death of the season, adding that the virus had already sent 22 more patients to hospitals. The state health department said influenza activity has been slowly increasing since the end of August – three influenza cases have been confirmed at William W. Backus Hospital so far this year. autumn.
"This is a sign that the flu season will come early," said Dr. Backus' Dr. Jack Ross. "Backus is a canary in the mine for the flu season."
He says flu usually appears in high-frequency areas, and Backus Hospital in Norwich is often one of the first places in the Hartford hospital system to show signs of flu. He said that this is probably due to its proximity to the casinos.
"Statistically, 10 to 15% of us will get the flu this year," said Ross. "It is important to take the necessary precautions to avoid spreading it as best we can."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, getting an annual flu shot is the first and best way to protect yourself against the flu. The severity of this influenza season may be difficult to predict, officials said. It is therefore best to take precautions before the flu begins to circulate. According to federal officials, more than 80,000 people died from the flu last year, including more than 150 in Connecticut. The CDC reports that each year, the flu has killed between 12,000 and 56,000 people since 2010.
"This is the perfect time for everyone to get a flu shot," said Susan Dubb, Norwich District Health Nurse at Uncas Health District. "Everyone from 6 months should get it.Some people can not get flu shot for medical reasons … the rest of us do it to protect those who can not get it. It is the concept of "herd immunity" we can vaccinate about 85 to 90% of the population, the remaining 10 to 15% will be better protected. "
Pagliaro said the main obstacle to vaccinating a large part of the population was the belief in a major misconception – that the flu shot gives you the flu.
"It's wrong, the flu vaccine does not contain live virus and therefore can not transmit the flu to anyone," she said. "Generally, people may have mild pain at the injection site."
The CDC reports that there are mainly mild reactions to influenza vaccination.
"The most common side effects of influenza vaccines are pain, redness, tenderness or swelling at the place where the vaccine was administered," says the CDC. "A mild fever, headache, and muscle aches may also occur, and if these occur, they usually begin shortly after the shot and last 1-2 days."
The influenza vaccine is also effective – it can prevent you from getting the flu, "reduce the risk of hospitalization for children, working-age adults and the elderly, associated with the flu" and is an important prevention tool for people with chronic diseases.
"You can still potentially catch the flu even if you get vaccinated," Dubb said. "However, you will probably have a case of less serious flu and probably a shorter illness, as opposed to a person who has not received his flu shot."
The CDC recommends that all people six months of age or older get a flu shot every year. It's necessary every season because the immune response of the body as a result of vaccination decreases over time and influenza viruses change constantly. It takes about two weeks for the vaccine to come into effect.
While the flu spreads easily, hospitals have put in place multiple strategies to reduce the spread of the flu, including advising patients on cough etiquette, researching travel history and using face masks so to prevent droplet transmission.
However, the best precaution you can take against the flu is to get vaccinated against the flu, Ross added, adding that it was important to do so as soon as possible.
"Some say before polling day, but the CDC says it's vital to get a flu shot by the end of October," Ross said. "It takes 15 days for the flu vaccine to become effective, and with the Thanksgiving trip and the black Friday at the store, now is the time to do it."
Journalist Kevin Adherne contributed to this report.
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