Flu Season Has Officially Arrived—

There Is Still Time To Get A Flu Shot

Hartford — With the confirmation of four cases of influenza by the State Public Health Laboratory, the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) has advised that the influenza season has officially begun in Connecticut. Governor M. Jodi Rell and DPH Commissioner J. Robert Galvin urged Connecticut residents to talk to their doctor about getting a flu shot.

“If you have been waiting to get a flu shot, please don’t wait any longer. Flu is here and there is still vaccine available in the state,” said Governor Rell. “We continue to recommend that Connecticut residents who are at high risk due to complications of the flu speak with their health care providers and consider receiving a flu shot.”

“Type A influenza was the cause of illness for four Connecticut residents — one from Middlesex County, one from New Haven County, and two from Fairfield County,” according to DPH Commissioner Galvin. “These cases represent the tip of an iceberg. For every case confirmed by the laboratory, there are many more residents sick with the flu. We expect influenza activity to increase over the next several weeks, with some people developing more serious illnesses.”

The Public Health Laboratory has identified or “typed” the virus in one case as influenza A (H3N2). The other three cases are waiting further testing. Seasons in which influenza A (H3N2) viruses predominate are associated with higher mortality and greater number of influenza associated hospitalizations.

Persons with influenza usually experience a rapid onset of fever, chills, headache, and muscle ache followed by a runny nose, sore throat, and cough, which is often severe and lasts for many days. Most persons with influenza recover within two to seven days.

Limited supplies of influenza vaccine are still available in Connecticut. Health care providers may call the Department of Public Health at 860-509-7929 (Monday–Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm) to get information on obtaining additional influenza vaccine.

Additionally, the Connecticut chapter of the American Lung Association runs a website to local public clinics; visit www.alaCT.org. For those without Internet access, Infoline at 2-1-1 can locate clinics.

In general, anyone who wants to reduce his or her chances of getting the flu can get vaccinated. Certain people should get vaccinated each year, however, including people who are at high risk of having serious flu complications or people who live with or care for those at high risk for serious complications.

Those who should get vaccinated each year include those who people at high risk for complications from the flu: people 65 years and older; people who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities that house those with long-term illnesses; adults and children 6 months and older with chronic heart or lung conditions, including asthma; adults and children 6 months and older who need regular medical care or were in a hospital during the previous year because of a metabolic disease (such as diabetes), chronic kidney disease, or weakened immune system (including immune system problems caused by medicines or by infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV/AIDS)); children 6 months to 18 years of age who are on long-term aspirin therapy; women who will be pregnant during the influenza season; and children ages 6 to 23 months.

Also, people with any condition that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions (that is, a condition that makes it hard to breathe or swallow, such as brain injury or disease, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders, or other nerve or muscle disorders) should receive a flu shot annually.

People between the ages of 50 to 64 should also consider annual vaccinations. Nearly one-third of those within this age bracket in the United States have one or more medical conditions that place them at increased risk for serious flu complications.

Finally, any person in close contact with someone in a high-risk group (see above) should get vaccinated. This includes all health care workers, household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children 6 to 23 months of age, and close contacts of people 65 years and older.

This year’s flu shot contains the A/California/7/2004 (H3N2)-like, A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1)-like, and B/Shanghai/361/2002-like strains of the virus.

“This year’s flu shot should provide immunity against the types of influenza expected to be the most likely to occur this winter,” Dr Galvin noted. “It takes about one to two weeks after vaccination for antibody against influenza to develop and provide protection.”