The holidays are a busy time. So busy that it’s not easy to attend to the basics of good health.
Historically, flu vaccination rates drop substantially after November, despite the fact that influenza season in the United States generally stretches from October until April. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has dubbed the week of Dec. 4-10, “National Influenza Vaccination Week” to remind people to get their annual vaccination.
“December is not too late to get the vaccine,” says Dr. Meghan Markovich, an internist with St. Elizabeth Physicians’ Hebron office. “While it does take about two weeks to build immunity, most years, influenza peaks in Northern Kentucky in December through March, and the flu vaccine will offer protection through the rest of this influenza season.”
Since 2010, the CDC has recommended routine annual influenza vaccination for everyone over the age of six months who do not have contraindications. Vaccination is particularly important for individuals, including young children, pregnant women, people with certain chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart disease or lung disease, and people aged 65 years and older, who are at high risk of serious flu complications. Flu complications can result in pneumonia, or exacerbate existing health conditions, which can lead to hospitalization or death.
“While some people may feel that getting the flu is just an inconvenience, it is more than that,” says Dr. Markovich. “In middle aged healthy adults, it could mean a week off of work and losing income. For the very young or elderly or those with other health problems, it could mean a week in the hospital with complications or in the worst case, death.”
During the 31 flu seasons from 1976″“77 through 2006″“07, the CDC estimates influenza-associated deaths ranged from approximately 3,300 to 49,000 annually,
For the 2016-17 flu season, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends flu shots, rather than mist. Research shows the live vaccine delivered via the popular nasal spray has not been as effective as the inactive vaccine delivered through injection during the last several flu seasons.
