Flu Strains Resistant To Vaccine, Doctors Say

CINCINNATI --

Doctors have been seeing more and more flu patients who got vaccinated but are still getting sick.

“People who got the vaccine are not fully protected,” said Dr. Larry Holditch, medical director of the Cincinnati Health Department.

Two strains surfaced during the winter, and doctors said this year’s vaccine is not as effective in fighting them off.

“On a good year it is like 70 to 80 percent protective,” Holditch said. “This year it is more like 40 to 50 percent protective.”

Holditch said he treated five people Wednesday, all sick with flu-like symptoms, and administered a flu vaccine.

“None of these people were terribly ill, but not well enough to go to work that day,” he said.

The emergency room at Saint Luke Hospital East is treating about 15 to 20 people per day, and doctors said cases began to increase in January.

“People coming in with a fever, body aches and pains, more than just a head cold,” said Dr. Ginny Lipke.

Some of those patients received a flu shot, but got sick anyway because of the new strains.

Doctors said you could protect yourself from illness by frequently washing your hands, getting plenty of sleep and eating healthy.