The B strain will be replaced with the B/Phuket. “If you only have the option of the trivalent vaccine, I would still strongly recommend getting the vaccine”. More information is available online regarding the challenge and council. These results mean that the influenza virus is circulating in the community, and DHHS is encouraging all New Hampshire residents 6 months of age and older to be vaccinated against the flu at their earliest convenience, especially those who are at increased risk of complications. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 25,000 people die each year in the United States due to influenza.
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The vaccine protects against three or four different strains, depending on the brand, Schaffner noted, saying that even if one strain mutates, vaccination remains “the best defense against flu”.
The live vaccine, or the nasal spray, is approved for healthy individuals between 2 and 49 years of age.
During the 2014-2015 influenza season in Montana, there were 6,191 cases reported, 608 hospitalizations and 24 deaths attributed to influenza.
About half of pregnant women get immunized, important not only for mom’s health but because the vaccine also protects her baby during its first six months of life, Swanson noted.
The flu season is unpredictable, and local pharmacies are encouraging customers to get their shot a few weeks before the flu starts creeping into the Valley. Rite Aid says they haven’t seen any cases of the flu here yet, but they have seen a steady flow of people coming in to receive their shots.
Anyone in the healthcare environment should be protected against flu to reduce the risk of spreading it to others who would be very susceptible in a high-risk setting like a hospital.
The cost for flu shots varies. It takes about two weeks for protection to kick in, and while flu typically peaks between December and February, there’s no way to predict when outbreaks will begin.
“Previous studies have shown that vaccinating school-aged children can reduce rates of influenza infection in adults”, said Dr. Michael L. Jackson, of Group Health Research Institute in Seattle, who was not involved in the research.
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“These anti-influenza drugs have to be started early in the illness for best benefit”, said Piedra.
