A Message from Doctors: Get the Flu Shot

Oct. 03--The flu shot was a bit of a flop last winter, but area health officials remain resolute in their message.

"The big priority is vaccination," said Dr. Robert S. Jones, medical director for infection prevention for the Reading Health System. "I think probably the best thing people can do to stop from getting the flu is to get vaccinated."

In September, officials from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledged the shot did not work that well last year, and the numbers reflect that.

From the end of September 2014 through Sept. 19, 2015, there were 55,493 flu cases in the state, including 1,734 in Berks County and 2,429 in Montgomery County.

That's nearly double the total from the prior year, when there were 28,202 cases, including 1,053 in Berks and 1,132 in Montgomery County.

Those numbers are just a fraction of the total flu cases, since most people with the virus don't end up getting tested.

While last year's flu vaccine was not a particularly good match for the virus, it's still a good idea to protect yourself this fall, said Mari Driscoll, infection control and prevention coordinator for Penn State Health St. Joseph. She said people underestimate the virus and that getting the flu shot is still the best treatment option.

It's particularly important for people who are more vulnerable to complications from the virus, including seniors, young children, pregnant women and people with chronic conditions like asthma, diabetes and lung disease.

"We have a lot of flu vaccine," Driscoll said. "Everybody should have the opportunity to get the flu shot."

The vaccine

It's always hard to predict how bad a flu season will be, Jones said.

One big question mark is whether the vaccine will match the virus circulating this year, he said. Another is the overall vaccination rate.

Last winter, the dominant strain of flu mutated early in the season, and the vaccine was only 13 percent effective against that strain, CDC officials said. Usually the effectiveness is closer to 50 or 60 percent.

Jones said the panel that creates the flu vaccine takes a lot of factors into account, and the CDC believes this year's shot will be more effective.

"It appears this is going to be a good match," Jones said. "They did make some changes."

Driscoll said it can be tough to tell patients to get the vaccine when the effectiveness rate was so low last year.

"We preach that the vaccine is the best thing we have to prevent illness," Driscoll said. "When the vaccine has a low level of effectiveness, it makes it harder to convince people that they should get it."

Despite the issues last winter, it is still a good idea to get the flu shot, she said.

"We won't know if it's a good match until we start matching people who tested positive with whether they received vaccine," she said. "The vaccine is still the best way to prevent it."

Preparations

When the flu season gets particularly bad, hospitals will open separate floors or designate flu wings where patients can get treated away from the rest of the population.

That move is about preventing the spread of the virus and making sure that the rest of the hospital resources are available to the patients who need them.

"It certainly does put a strain," said Dr. Jay Zimmermann, a primary care physician at Penn State Hershey Medical Group Elizabethtown.

It has become a requirement at most area hospitals that staff get the flu shot. Those who can't get the shot, or have objections to vaccinations, have to wear masks while in the hospital.

"When you're working in a health care environment where people are sick, the last thing you want to do is have someone transmit an illness between employee and patient," Jones said.

At Pottstown Medical Center, the flu shot is strongly encouraged for staff, hospital officials said in a statement.

"As part of our continued effort to ensure quality care and keep our patients safe, signs are placed in the hospital lobby to make visitors aware of the flu season and proper hygiene precautions," the hospital said in a statement. "Patients who are suspected of having the flu are provided masks to limit exposure to others."

During bad years, flu cases can fill hospitals to their capacity and make it hard to find places to treat patients.

"If you have two or three bad weeks of the flu, our emergency departments are going to be overwhelmed," Driscoll said.

Important points

The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone over 6 months old, but it's particularly important for the elderly, pregnant women, and people with underlying conditions like heart and lung disease or diabetes. Those people are more prone to complications if they get the virus.

"Last year there were a lot of people in the ER who had chronic conditions that chose not to get vaccinated," Driscoll said. "I really urge those people to become vaccinated."

For most people, the flu symptoms will resolve in about five days, but for others it can be very serious. In 2014-15, there were 221 flu-related deaths, up from 131 the year before. Jones said people tend to take vaccines for granted, but they have stopped a host of different diseases. There's also good evidence that the shot can lessen the symptoms for the people who do get the flu.

He says he occasionally hears people say they don't get the flu so they don't need the shot.

"I think that's a self-serving argument," Jones said. "It doesn't look at the better good of the community."

Even when the vaccine has a lower effectiveness, there's good research indicating it can reduce your symptoms, Jones said.

Zimmermann said the flu taxes families and means missing work or school. It also means feeling really lousy for a few days.

Most importantly, he said vaccination is about more than one person or one family.

"It's about protecting the community," he said.

Contact Matthew Nojiri: 610-371-5062 or mnojiri@readingeagle.com.

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