#12,810
After Australia's unusually rough H3N2 flu season - and similar reports this summer from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southern China - there are concerns we could see the same sort of flu season this winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
All things being equal - H3N2 dominant flu seasons - which this one appears likely to be, are generally rougher on the elderly than are H1N1 seasons.Add in a lackluster performance by last year's vaccine (see The Enigmatic, Problematic H3N2 Influenza Virus) - whose H3N2 component has been carried over to this year - and the elderly's often less-than-robust immune response to flu vaccination, and you have the ingrediants for a potentially difficult flu season ahead.
There are, however, steps that Health Care Professionals (HCPs) can take to reduce the risk to elderly patients, which include educating them on relatively new flu shot options (high dose, or adjuvanted) for those over 65, and the importance of early treatment with antivirals should they fall ill.
The Role of Healthcare Professionals in Protecting Older Adults against Influenza
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Free Continuing Education
Date:Thursday, October 12, 2017
Time: 2:00-3:00 pm (Eastern Time)
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Overview
Healthcare professionals (HCPs) play a critical role in protecting older adults (age 65 years and older) against influenza (flu). Despite concerted efforts to promote annual influenza vaccination for older adults, persistent knowledge gaps exist regarding the burden of disease and the risk of flu and related complications for this vulnerable population. According to recent research, the phenomenon known as immunosenescence leaves older adults less responsive to standard influenza vaccines. HCPs play a critical role in strongly recommending and ensuring flu vaccination for older adults. During this COCA Call, presenters will share easy-to-use education materials available to support HCPs in discussing flu prevention with older adult patients.
Primarily of interest to clinicians and healthcare providers, COCA (Clinician Outreach Communication Activity) calls are designed to ensure that practitioners have up-to-date information for their practices.
COCA calls are archived on the CDC's website, and may be accessed HERE within a few days of airing. Older presentations - going back to 2012 - are also available at that link
For those of us of a certain age, getting the flu shot may also provide additional protection against heart attacks as well (see 2015's UNSW: Flu Vaccine Provides Significant Protection Against Heart Attack). Other studies with similar findings include:
- In August of 2013 (see Study: Flu Vaccine May Reduce Heart Attack Risk), we looked at study out of Australia – published in the BMJ Journal Heart, that found compelling – but not exactly conclusive – evidence that flu shots may reduce the risk of heart attacks as much as 45%.
- In October of 2013 (see JAMA: Flu Vaccine and Cardiovascular Outcomes) we looked at a meta analysis that found among patients who had previously had a heart attack, the receipt of a flu vaccine was linked to a 55% reduction in having another major cardiac event in the next few months.
