Published: Sunday, August 29, 2010
You’ll need only 1 flu shot this year
Innoculations will fend off swine and seasonal viruses, and vaccine supplies will be ample, health officials say.
For those who want them, there’s good news about flu immunizations this year: Only one type of vaccination, not two, will be needed.
Last year, H1N1 or swine flu, began circulating in the spring, too late to include virus-fighting components against this never-before-seen type of flu in the fall’s annual seasonal flu vaccine.
Many people received two inoculations, one for swine flu and one for seasonal flu.
This year, the annual fall immunizations will help fend off not only swine flu, but another type of influenza A as well one strain of influenza B.
“Everyone who gets a flu vaccine in the fall will be (immunized) against H1N1 along with two other flu strains,” said Dr. Gary Goldbaum, health officer for the Snohomish Health District.
And unlike last year, there aren’t expected to be any vaccine shortages this fall. Last year, people stood in lines, sometimes for hours, to be immunized against swine flu.
Vaccine supplies are expected to be plentiful this year and produced on time, generally available starting in late September or early October.
“I fully anticipate no delays this year,” said Dr. Yuan-Po Tu, who specializes in influenza issues for The Everett Clinic. In part, this is because more companies are producing influenza vaccine than in past years, he said.
Nationally, there will be an estimated 170 million doses of flu vaccine available, about 50 million more than ever before, said Michele Roberts, an immunization specialist for the state Department of Health.
The state agency orders flu vaccine for Washington children each year. This year, about 470,000 doses will be ordered for children from age 6 months to 18 years old. That’s about 40,000 more doses than last year, Roberts said.
Which strain of flu will cause the most illness this year, and which age groups it will hit hardest, are two of the big questions as the influenza season approaches.
Swine flu hit younger adults far harder than those age 65 and up. That trend made last year’s flu season far different than the norm. Typically, influenza causes more hospitalizations and deaths among adults 65 and older.
Flu pandemics, like the one triggered by swine flu in the spring and fall last year, often hit a third time. Scientists are watching for clues on whether swine flu, or another type of flu, will cause the most illness this season, Tu said.
Flu immunizations are recommended for anyone ages 6 months or older, the first time that near-universal vaccination has been recommended for everyone in the nation, he said.
Flu mist will be available this year to those ages 2 to 49 years old. The mist is not recommended for pregnant women or people with asthma and other breathing problems, Tu said.
For the first time, seniors will have an option of getting a new type of vaccine — a triple potency immunization shot — to battle influenza.
The reason the shot was developed is that as people age, their immune systems weaken, producing less of a virus-fighting response than in younger people, Tu said.
The idea with the new vaccine is to prompt the body into a tougher flu fighting response, he said.
Only time will tell whether people who get the more powerful shot are hospitalized at lower rates and whether fewer of them die from influenza, when compared to those who receive the traditional flu shot, Tu said.
“I think we’ll know within one season if it becomes the standard or not,” he said. “It makes scientific sense to do this …. but the proof is in the data.”
Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.
Last year, H1N1 or swine flu, began circulating in the spring, too late to include virus-fighting components against this never-before-seen type of flu in the fall’s annual seasonal flu vaccine.
Many people received two inoculations, one for swine flu and one for seasonal flu.
This year, the annual fall immunizations will help fend off not only swine flu, but another type of influenza A as well one strain of influenza B.
“Everyone who gets a flu vaccine in the fall will be (immunized) against H1N1 along with two other flu strains,” said Dr. Gary Goldbaum, health officer for the Snohomish Health District.
And unlike last year, there aren’t expected to be any vaccine shortages this fall. Last year, people stood in lines, sometimes for hours, to be immunized against swine flu.
Vaccine supplies are expected to be plentiful this year and produced on time, generally available starting in late September or early October.
“I fully anticipate no delays this year,” said Dr. Yuan-Po Tu, who specializes in influenza issues for The Everett Clinic. In part, this is because more companies are producing influenza vaccine than in past years, he said.
Nationally, there will be an estimated 170 million doses of flu vaccine available, about 50 million more than ever before, said Michele Roberts, an immunization specialist for the state Department of Health.
The state agency orders flu vaccine for Washington children each year. This year, about 470,000 doses will be ordered for children from age 6 months to 18 years old. That’s about 40,000 more doses than last year, Roberts said.
Which strain of flu will cause the most illness this year, and which age groups it will hit hardest, are two of the big questions as the influenza season approaches.
Swine flu hit younger adults far harder than those age 65 and up. That trend made last year’s flu season far different than the norm. Typically, influenza causes more hospitalizations and deaths among adults 65 and older.
Flu pandemics, like the one triggered by swine flu in the spring and fall last year, often hit a third time. Scientists are watching for clues on whether swine flu, or another type of flu, will cause the most illness this season, Tu said.
Flu immunizations are recommended for anyone ages 6 months or older, the first time that near-universal vaccination has been recommended for everyone in the nation, he said.
Flu mist will be available this year to those ages 2 to 49 years old. The mist is not recommended for pregnant women or people with asthma and other breathing problems, Tu said.
For the first time, seniors will have an option of getting a new type of vaccine — a triple potency immunization shot — to battle influenza.
The reason the shot was developed is that as people age, their immune systems weaken, producing less of a virus-fighting response than in younger people, Tu said.
The idea with the new vaccine is to prompt the body into a tougher flu fighting response, he said.
Only time will tell whether people who get the more powerful shot are hospitalized at lower rates and whether fewer of them die from influenza, when compared to those who receive the traditional flu shot, Tu said.
“I think we’ll know within one season if it becomes the standard or not,” he said. “It makes scientific sense to do this …. but the proof is in the data.”
Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.
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