Flu season is just around the corner -- again. Each year, 5 to 20 percent of Americans get the flu, and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu complications, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The good news is that getting vaccinated is a safe way to help prevent the flu because the vaccine protects against the three most common influenza viruses.
Yearly flu vaccinations are usually offered beginning in September, or as soon as vaccine is available.
Dr. Charles Weiss, an urgent care physician and public health expert at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation’s Palo Alto Center, has years of experience with flu trends and treatment. He says that the 2011/2012 flu vaccine will have the same formulation as last year’s vaccine, including the H1N1 vaccine.
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“Typically, we’ll see a few cases of flu in the fall and then more in December,” Dr. Weiss says. “When the flu peaks is unpredictable – it can be in December, January, February or March. We usually start vaccinating our patients in September, and continue our efforts throughout the flu season.”
It takes about two weeks after vaccination for protective antibodies to develop. Remember that flu vaccines will not protect against flu-like illnesses caused by non-influenza viruses.
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What’s new?
The CDC now recommends that everyone older than six months be vaccinated. Although the H1N1 virus was downgraded to a seasonal flu last year, it still targets healthy young and middle-aged adults and pregnant women, which is unusual. In general, seasonal flu strains affect children, seniors, pregnant women and those with chronic medical problems the most. The flu can seriously affect pregnant women, which underscores the need for pregnant women to get vaccinated. This protects the mother and the newborn during the first few months, which is vital since babies cannot get the flu vaccine until they are six months.
Remember that this is an annual shot -- your immunization from last year will have worn off by this year. So get ready to roll up your sleeve and fight this season’s flu!
