Reported by ABC, CBS and NBC and summarized by the AMA Morning News is the story of this year's flu strain. H3N2 is an unexpected variety of flu and we are poorly prepared for it.
Each year researchers make an educated guess as to which flu strain will afflict the human race the coming winter. A flu vaccine is developed to combat that particular variety and eventually makes it to our local pharmacy or clinic. We do the right thing, get immunized and feel protected from the virus de jour. It didn't work out so well this year. Perhaps the scientists guessed wrong, maybe the virus mutated before the vaccine made it to market...whatever, the vaccine is "not going to work the way a flu vaccine normally works," according to Dr. Richard Besser of ABC News.
While the shot we got may offer some protection, it will not have the effectiveness we expect. Hopefully if we do get the flu, H3N2 this winter, this "wrong" vaccine will have some effect, perhaps 40% protection, as opposed to the 60% we would normally expect. Unfortunately, it appears this H3N2 is turning out to be a severe strain. It has been circulating for the last few years and has tripled hospitalizations of victims, particularly the elderly and young children.
It used to be that there was little physicians could do for viruses. But antivirals are now available and are recommended as soon as the patient recognizes they are sick. Unlike antibiotics which kill off the bad bacteria, the antiviral drug can only slow the growth of the virus it targets. Nonetheless, it is the best weapon in the fight against the flu, after the vaccine of course.
The CDC is still recommending everyone get vaccinated against the flu. Forty percent protection is better than no protection. Wash your hands frequently. Avoid large crowds and sick friends. Be especially suspicious of small, runny nosed children! My experience is that they get over the "bug" in a week and we are sick with it for a month! Gotta love those grandchildren! :)
Archive timeline: 2014: May and June - preparing for surgery, July - surgery and post op problems,
August - recovery and physical therapy, September - thinking medically, October - getting back to
normal. November. - still recovering.
Each year researchers make an educated guess as to which flu strain will afflict the human race the coming winter. A flu vaccine is developed to combat that particular variety and eventually makes it to our local pharmacy or clinic. We do the right thing, get immunized and feel protected from the virus de jour. It didn't work out so well this year. Perhaps the scientists guessed wrong, maybe the virus mutated before the vaccine made it to market...whatever, the vaccine is "not going to work the way a flu vaccine normally works," according to Dr. Richard Besser of ABC News.
While the shot we got may offer some protection, it will not have the effectiveness we expect. Hopefully if we do get the flu, H3N2 this winter, this "wrong" vaccine will have some effect, perhaps 40% protection, as opposed to the 60% we would normally expect. Unfortunately, it appears this H3N2 is turning out to be a severe strain. It has been circulating for the last few years and has tripled hospitalizations of victims, particularly the elderly and young children.
It used to be that there was little physicians could do for viruses. But antivirals are now available and are recommended as soon as the patient recognizes they are sick. Unlike antibiotics which kill off the bad bacteria, the antiviral drug can only slow the growth of the virus it targets. Nonetheless, it is the best weapon in the fight against the flu, after the vaccine of course.
The CDC is still recommending everyone get vaccinated against the flu. Forty percent protection is better than no protection. Wash your hands frequently. Avoid large crowds and sick friends. Be especially suspicious of small, runny nosed children! My experience is that they get over the "bug" in a week and we are sick with it for a month! Gotta love those grandchildren! :)
Archive timeline: 2014: May and June - preparing for surgery, July - surgery and post op problems,
August - recovery and physical therapy, September - thinking medically, October - getting back to
normal. November. - still recovering.
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