Photo Credit PHIL
# 7759
Note: This is day 13 of National Preparedness Month. Follow this year’s campaign on Twitter by searching for the #NPM & NPM13 hash tag.
This month, as part of NPM13, I’ll be rerunning some edited and updated older preparedness essays, along with some new ones.
You might not have thought about it, but getting your seasonal flu shot each year should be part of your overall preparedness plan. During a disaster or prolonged emergency you are likely to be tired, stressed, and your immune systems could be weakened.
The last thing you need during a crisis is to be sick with the flu on top of it.
Which is why yesterday I paid a visit to my local CVS pharmacy and got my yearly seasonal flu shot. The process (and the shot – nice job, Carol) were painless. And as an added bonus, I discovered that this year they were only offering single-dose (preservative-free) vaccines.
According to the CDC, more than 50 million doses of this year’s flu vaccine have already been distributed, so finding a shot should be no trouble.
Seasonal Influenza Vaccine & Total Doses Distributed
- This table reflects the cumulative weekly total number of seasonal influenza vaccine doses distributed in the US as reported to CDC by influenza vaccine manufacturers and selected distributors.
- Currently, manufacturers project 135-139 million doses of flu vaccine to be produced this season.
September 9, 2013 9:30 AM ET
September might seem a little early to be getting the flu shot, but we are already seeing scattered reports of influenza (see California, South Carolina & Florida) around the country, and it takes a couple of weeks after getting the shot for immunity to kick in.
While the vaccine can’t promise 100% protection, it – along with practicing good flu hygiene (washing hands, covering coughs, & staying home if sick) – remains your best strategy for avoiding the flu this winter.
Recent studies (see A Comprehensive Flu Vaccine Effectiveness Meta-Analysis) have shown the flu shot to be moderately effective in preventing influenza – at least among healthy adults under the age of 65. As an added incentive, while far from conclusive, we’ve seen mounting evidence that the Flu Vaccine May Reduce Heart Attack Risk.
For the elderly and for those with immune problems the flu vaccine’s effectiveness is often lower (see Study: Flu Vaccines And The Elderly).
In 2011, NFID - the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases - convened a group of experts to address the issues of influenza and the elderly. From that panel a 5-page brief has emerged, called: Understanding the Challenges and Opportunities in Protecting Older Adults from Influenza.
While the elderly generally see less protection from the flu vaccine, they state that older individuals may still mount a robust immune response. Even if the vaccine doesn’t always prevent infection in the elderly, studies suggest that the vaccine may blunt the seriousness of the illness in those over 65.
For those over 65, the option of taking the new high dose flu vaccine is now available (see MMWR On High Dose Flu Vaccine For Seniors). Early reports are encouraging, but we don’t have data yet on how much more effective it is among that cohort.
There is no doubt that we need better flu vaccines – particularly for those at greatest risk from influenza infection; the elderly and those with chronic illnesses (see CIDRAP: The Need For `Game Changing’ Flu Vaccines). But until they can be developed, the vaccines we have can and do help reduce the spread of the virus.
And lastly, flu vaccines have excellent safety records.
Yes, taking any medicine – including a vaccine – entails some (usually miniscule) degree of risk. But those risks pale when compared to the dangers of catching the diseases they are designed to prevent. After all, Influenza sickens millions, and kills tens of thousands of people, every year in this country.
Ready.gov urges all Americans to follow these 3 steps to better preparedness:
Sage advice. But if you want to be truly prepared, I would add an important 4th step.
