Taking Antivirals To Treat Influenza
Antiviral drugs are prescription medications that fight viral infections. While the flu vaccine is highly effective for preventing the spread of influenza, it is not a guaranteed way of preventing the disease. When a person catches the flu, antiviral drugs may help the individual avoid a trip to the hospital. This medicine can potentially reduce the severity of symptoms and cut the length of the sickness by up to two days. There are currently two approved antiviral drugs for children that can be used this flu season:
- Oseltamivir: Recommended by the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics for treating influenza in children as young as two weeks old.
- Zanamivir: Suggested medicine for treating children as young as seven years old.
This CDC guide to antivirals contains more information about who can take antiviral drugs and what impact they may have on ones health.
During flu season, parents must keep track of their childrens health. If they can catch the signs of an influenza infection early, they can better comfort their children and take action to prevent them from spreading the flu to their peers and classmates. Furthermore, identifying a case of the flu early on has the added benefit of allowing parents to track a childs condition as the disease progresses.
One Of The Most Effective Changes In Health Behaviours To Prevent Flu Was A Record High Uptake Of Flu Vaccinations
When does the flu season start 2021. What to expect amongst covid |. In the united states, flu season occurs in the fall and winter. Although flu activity continues to increase in the united states, it remains low enough that the cdc does not consider the flu season to have started yet, a cdc expert said.
The influenza virus is present year round in the united states, so a person can get the flu during any month of the year. Flu season tends to peak between december and march. For the united states, most flu activity starts in october and ends in may.
In the northern hemisphere, flu season coincides with the colder winter months we usually see flu cases spring up in november and peter out in march . prevention and control of seasonal influenza with vaccines: Fda’s vaccines and related biological products advisory committee met in silver spring, maryland, on march 5, 2021, to select the influenza.
Clinical laboratories were positive for an influenza virus. Flu season generally starts in october and goes into may. What does this mean for the 2021/22 flu season?
The agency will conduct targeted communication outreach to specific groups of people who are at higher risk for developing serious complications from flu. Often begins to increase in october and most of the time it peaks between december and february. Flu season can start in the united states as early as october and end as late as early may.
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Achieving High Vaccine Uptake Levels
Last season saw the most successful programme ever. Despite the challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, at the end of February 2021 NHS services had vaccinated a record 80.9% of those aged 65 years and over in England. This is the highest uptake ever achieved for this group and exceeds the WHO uptake ambition of 75%. For frontline healthcare workers, 2 and 3 year olds, and at risk groups the highest ever recorded levels of influenza vaccine uptake were also achieved.
All providers should have planned their influenza vaccine ordering to at least equal the high levels of uptake achieved in 2020 to 2021. The ambitions we are setting for the 2021 to 2022 programme are set out below. We want to build on the momentum of last years achievements and the successful roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, achieving even higher uptake this year. You many need to order additional vaccine to support you in reaching these ambitions.
The high ambitions reflect the importance of protecting against flu this winter and should be regarded as a minimum level to achieve. The different ambitions across the cohorts reflect what is regarded as achievable so, for instance, for those aged 65 and over the high ambition reflects the already high uptake levels achieved last year whereas for school-aged children the large expansion into secondary school this year will be challenging in itself.
Table 1. Vaccine uptake ambitions in 2021 to 2022
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When Does Flu Season End
Usually, flu season lasts for about 12 weeks according to experts. But that can vary quite a bit, depending on where a person lives and how many strains are circulating. In the United States, the flu season can last through May.1
Every year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention works with local health departments in major cities and at the state-level to track how the flu spreads.1 In this process, the CDC tracks when and where cases of the flu appear, when they increase and decrease, what strains are spreading, and the number of hospitalizations and deaths caused by complications with the flu.1
Use Proper Hygiene To Avoid Transmitting Influenza
The CDC advises that promoting proper hygiene is a fundamental way to stop the spread of germs that cause the flu. To this effect, parents should teach their children how to interact with their environment in a way that helps them avoid spreading or receiving the flu.
First, to avoid getting sick, children need to avoid close contact with people who already have the flu. Because the flu is spread by tiny droplets that are released from peoples mouths or noses, simply being near a flu carrier could allow an infection to take hold.
Conversely, people who know they have the flu should take extra precautions to minimize the impact of their infectiousness. Making the following simple changes to habits can also help prevent spreading the flu:
- Eliminate germs by washing hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based solution when possible.
- Limit contact with others as much as possible by staying home until symptoms subside.
- Use a tissue or disposable cloth to cover the nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching hands to the eyes, nose, and mouth, as flu germs may be on the hands.
- Clean and disinfect any surfaces that may have been contaminated with germs.
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What Are The Treatments For The Flu
There are 4 FDA-approved antiviral drugs recommended to treat flu for the 2021-2022 season:
- Baloxavir marboxil
- Peramivir
- Zanamivir
Antiviral drugs can lessen your symptoms and shorten sick time by 1 or 2 days, according to the CDC. These are prescription medicines in various forms, such as pills, liquids, an inhaled powder, and an IV solution. Ask your doctor if they are right for you.
They may also have side effects. Tamiflu may cause nausea and vomiting, and it may make headaches and psychiatric effects more likely. And in a recent study, it didnât lessen complications.
It’s important to start the drugs early, as studies show they work best when started within 2 days of getting sick. But your doctor may decide they can still be helpful if started later than that.
Whats The Difference Between Influenza A And B
Influenza A and B are the two primary strains of the virus that cause illness in humans. They both cause classic flu symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, chills, body aches and fatigue, and its nearly impossible to tell which one you have without a lab test, Brammer says. Influenza A viruses are the only type known to cause pandemics, because they change rapidly and affect both humans and animals. Influenza B is slower-adapting and typically present only in humans.
Within each type, there are further subcategories. Influenza A subtypes are categorized by the combination of proteins on the virus surface the two most common in humans are H1N1 and H3N2. Influenza B, meanwhile, is divided into two lineages, Victoria and Yamagata.
So far this season, influenza B Victoria viruses have caused the most lab-confirmed flu diagnoses, followed by influenza A H1N1 viruses, according to CDC data. Both of those strains are known to primarily affect children and younger adults, rather than the elderly, Brammer says. Since older adults account for most flu deaths each year, that breakdown explains why lots of people have gotten sick with the flu but a relatively small portion have been hospitalized or died . By contrast, about 61,000 people died during the 2018-2019 flu season.
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What To Expect For The 2021
This time of the year is often associated with the holidays, but there is another season that has many in the medical professional worried and thats flu season. The 2021-2022 flu season is expected to be especially active because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The flu virus is most active during the fall and winter months. Flu season usually begins in October and peaks between December and February . Last years flu season was very mild, and because of that cases of the flu are expected to be higher this year, especially as COVID-prevention measures like hand washing, social distancing and masking are relaxed across the country.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends that anyone over the age of six months get a flu shot every year, unless recommended otherwise by a medical professional. People at especially high risk for the flu include:
- Adults 65 years and older
- Children under the age of two
- Pregnant women
- Residents of nursing homes or other long-term facilities
- People with pre-existing conditions
In addition to the flu vaccine, other ways to reduce the risk for the flu are frequent handwashing, covering your mouth when coughing, and avoiding people who are sick. Many of the same ways used to limit the spread of COVID.
Getting A Flu Vaccine During The Covid
Yes. Getting a flu vaccine is an essential part of protecting your health and your familys health every year. Take recommended precautions to protect yourself from COVID-19 while getting your flu vaccine.
Yes. Wearing a mask and physical distancing can help protect you and others from respiratory viruses, like flu and the virus that causes COVID-19. However, the best way to reduce your risk of flu illness and its potentially serious complications is for everyone 6 months and older to get a flu vaccine each year. By getting a flu vaccine, you may also be protecting people around you who are more vulnerable to serious flu complications.
Yes, you can get a COVID-19 vaccine and a flu vaccine at the same time.
Even though both vaccines can be given at the same visit, people should follow the recommended schedule for either vaccine: If you havent gotten your currently recommended doses of COVID-19 vaccine, get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you can, and ideally get a flu vaccine by the end of October.
While limited data exist on giving COVID-19 vaccines with other vaccines, including flu vaccines, experience with giving other vaccines together has shown the way our bodies develop protection and possible side effects are generally similar whether vaccines are given alone or with other vaccines.
If you have concerns about getting both vaccines at the same time, you should speak with a health care provider.
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What Exactly Is Flurona
As if we didn’t already have enough to worry about, we’ve been hearing buzz about something called flurona. It sounds like an unholy crossbreed of the flu and coronavirus. But that’s not exactly the case.
“The only thing hybrid about flurona is the term itself,” says Dr. Blaivas. “What it refers to is having both infections at once. This is indeed theoretically possible.” But is it likely you’ll end up with both simultaneously? The odds of getting both depends on how much flu and COVID is circulating in your area at the same time, he says, but is also impacted by one’s immune status in regards to each respective illness.
There’s no way to know if you have both concurrently without testing. “The key is that your doctor now, during flu season, consider both viruses when testing, if indicated,” Dr. Blaivas says, noting that many doctors are automatically testing for both during this flu season. “When someone comes to me in the emergency department and they are very sick, I will test for both during flu season because if both viruses are present, I will need to treat each one with different methods if the patient is significantly ill.”
Is The Flu Dangerous For Pregnant People
Yes. Flu can be very dangerous for pregnant people and their babies. The changes in immune, heart and lung function during pregnancy make you more likely to get seriously ill from the flu. If you get the flu while pregnant, it also increases your chance for complications, such as premature labor and delivery, and birth defects.
Getting a flu shot during your pregnancy helps protect both you and your baby. When you get vaccinated, your body makes antibodies that are passed to your baby, which helps protect them during their first few months of life, before they are able to start getting their own annual flu vaccinations.
Flu shots have safely been given to millions of people, including pregnant people, over many years. Numerous studies show that the flu vaccine is safe and effective for pregnant people and their babies.Pregnancy experts strongly recommend that all pregnant people get a flu shot. You can safely get the flu shot during any trimester.
Click here to view/download VYFs handout Flu Vaccination During Pregnancy.Learn more about flu and other vaccines recommended during pregnancy.
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What Else Can I Do To Avoid The Flu And Covid
During this unique flu season, Dr. Vyas says like people with chronic illnesses, pregnant people, the elderly, and the very young need to take special precautions against getting sick. But its important for anyone to reduce their risk.
In addition to getting vaccinated against both illnesses, getting proper sleep, adequate nutrition, and regular exercise can help keep your immune system strong. Darria Long Gillespie, M.D., a clinical assistant professor at the University of Tennessee School of Medicine, says healthy habits like these have been shown to ward off respiratory viruses like the flu. But they dont replace the need for a flu vaccine or mitigate the importance of other preventative measures.
For example, you should also be handwashing religiously . “This is the season where you can be a complete germophobe and it’s entirely fine,” says Long Gillespie. “Wash your hands frequently, carry hand sanitizer, and either wash or sanitize after touching shared surfaces before you eat or touch your face.”
Again, it’s important to know that you should still be getting the flu shot even if you’re practicing frequent handwashing and physical distancing to help prevent the spread of influenza to more vulnerable people .
What About The Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine
The nasal spray vaccine, FluMist, is once again being recommended by the CDC for adults and children. In recent flu seasons, the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics had recommended flu shots only for kids because of questions about well the spray worked. But the manufacturer appears to have improved the spray, so the CDC and AAP say parents can go either way — shots or spray.
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When Does The 2021 Flu Season Begin In The United States It May Be Sooner Than You Think
Flu season can vary every year and the best way to prevent it is by getting the flu shot. Sam Owens | MLive.com
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. While seasonal influenza viruses are detected year-round, flu viruses are most common during the fall and winter also known as flu season.
While flu spreads every year, the timing, severity and length of the season varies from one season to another, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Flu season can start in the United States as early as October and end as late as early May. Normally, it peaks from December through February.
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs, the CDC states. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times, can lead to death.
About 8% of the U.S. population gets sick from the flu each season, with a range of between 3% and 11%, depending on the season, according to CDC research.
HOW CAN I PREVENT THE FLU?
The best way to prevent yourself and your family from getting the flu is by getting a flu vaccine each year, the CDC recommends.
Its recommended for everyone 6 months and older, with few exceptions.
Is The Flu Vaccine Safe
Yes. Flu vaccines have been used for over 50 years and have been safely given to hundreds of millions of people, including pregnant people. Flu vaccines, like all vaccines used in the U.S., are carefully monitored for safety through the U.S. vaccine monitoring systems .
Find answers to more questions about vaccine safety.
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When Does Flu Season Begin And End
While different flu viruses are detected year-round, flu season generally runs from October to May, and peaks in December until February. This is why it is crucial for employers to set up flu shot clinics early, as many onsite flu shot clinics take place from late August to mid-October.
Also, because flu shots take 14 days before fully protecting you, earlier flu shot clinics are ideal.
You might be wondering, What happens if I wait to schedule my clinic? There is a higher risk of the following due to flu illness:
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Loss of workplace productivity
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More used paid sick time
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More insurance-paid doctor appointments