County Health: Get a shot, flu is spreading

People who are sick should also cough or sneeze into their elbow and away from other people, and those with the flu should try to avoid contact with others “so you can’t spread it”, she said. “Getting vaccinated against the flu is the surest way to protect you and your loved ones against this potentially serious illness”.

In the study, pregnant women hospitalized with severe flu illness were half as likely to have been vaccinated as women hospitalized with milder illness (14 percent vs. 26 percent).

While it is still too early to pin down the reasons, experts believe the warmer winter and a more effective flu shot may have something to do with it. This season there is a better match between virus strains and the vaccines.

Rapid office tests for influenza do not reliably detect influenza infection; therefore, people with influenza may test negative. It is also important for persons caring for those with medical conditions that put them at higher risk for severe complications.

“It looks like we’re finally seeing an uptick, but we’re nowhere near last year’s rates”, said Karen Martin, an epidemiologist at the Minnesota Department of Health. By the time the 2014-15 flu season was over, the state Health Department had recorded more than 55,000 confirmed cases across the state – including 221 deaths, mostly of people older than 65. Reported cases have been sporadic, but “the season’s not over yet”. They recommend almost everyone 6 months or older get vaccinated.

All available vaccine formulations this season contain A(H3N2), A(H1N1)pdm09, and B virus strains, and CDC does not recommend one influenza vaccine formulation over another. It takes a couple of weeks for protection to develop after the vaccine is given. The HSE urged those who have not yet got the vaccine to do so.