Friday, September 29, 2023

When Is Flu Season In Utah

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a flu shot every year. People with chronic medical conditions, pregnant women, people age 65 and older and people who live with or care for others who are at higher risk are all more likely to get seriously sick from the flu.

It takes about two weeks after vaccination to develop protection against the virus.

The vaccine is available at doctors offices and retail pharmacies and is covered by medical insurance. People with no health care coverage can get vaccinated at one of the countys six public health centers or a local community clinic.

To find the nearest location, visit the countys Flu Vaccine Locations page by clicking or tapping here or by calling 211.

Influenza Vaccine Virus Strains

There are many different flu viruses, and they are constantly changing. The composition of US flu vaccines is reviewed annually and updated as needed to match circulating flu viruses. This season, all flu vaccines will be designed to protect against the four viruses that research indicates will be most common. Each year, the Food and Drug Administrations Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee makes the recommendation for the flu vaccine composition for US flu vaccines.

For 2021-2022, recommendations were made for egg-based, cell-based, and recombinant flu vaccines as listed below:

Egg-based vaccine composition recommendations:

  • an A/Victoria/2570/2019 pdm09-like virus
  • an A/Cambodia/e0826360/2020 -like virus
  • a B/Washington/02/2019- like virus
  • a B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus

Cell- or recombinant-based vaccine composition recommendations:

  • an A/Wisconsin/588/2019 pdm09-like virus
  • an A/Cambodia/e0826360/2020 -like virus
  • a B/Washington/02/2019- like virus
  • a B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus .

These recommendations include two updates compared with 2020-2021 US flu vaccines. Both the influenza A and the influenza A vaccine virus components were updated. Compared with the Southern Hemisphere flu vaccine recommendation, this recommendation represents one update and that is to the influenza A component.

Influenza Vaccine Recommendations

Working Or Training In Clinical Buildings

It is the policy, HSO-203: Influenza Vaccination, at UT Southwestern that all faculty, staff, house staff, and students working or training in the University Hospital and Clinics are required to receive an influenza vaccination or to provide written notice to Occupational Health that they decline to be vaccinated for medical, religious, or personal reasons on or before November 15 annually, or sooner, if warranted by the conditions in the community. Individuals who fail to comply with this policy may be subject to disciplinary action.

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When Is The Flu Season For 2021

As the flu isnt always predictable, it tends to thrive during colder months. When temperatures all over begin to drop for the winter seasons, thats typically when you can expect the flu season to begin.

We expect flu season to pick up around October, peaking in December and running through at least February. Sometimes even lasting until May.

So, if youre asking yourself when to get the flu shot, or if to get the flu shot at all, our suggestion is to schedule your flu shot now! Or at least put a reminder on your calendar in the future. For your own healths sake, as well as the sake of others.

Cdc Influenza Vaccine Information

To prevent a flu season unlike any other, Texas ...

We anticipate having a Flumist available at both locations of our Flu Shot Clinic for healthy individuals aged 2 years to 49 years. If you would like to receive the Flumist vaccine, please complete the screening checklist in addition to the patient information form and bring them both with you to the Clinic.

All vaccines administered at the USU Flu Shot Clinic will be Quadrivalent. High dose Flu vaccines will be available for adults 65 years and older.

For the U.S. influenza season, CDC and its vaccines advisory committee recommend that providers use any licensed, age-appropriate influenza vaccine , Recombinant Influenza vaccine , or Live Attenuated Influenza vaccine with no preference expressed for one vaccine over another.

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Utah Doctors Concerned About Flu Season Spike On Top Of Covid

ByAshley Imlay, KSL.com |Updated – Dec. 10, 2021 at 1:32 p.m. | Posted – Dec. 10, 2021 at 11:22 a.m.

Salt Lake City resident Kim Irwin Pack receives an influenza vaccine from nurse Kimberly Goldberg at the Salt Lake Public Health Center on Sept. 30. While COVID-19 and RSV remain a concern ahead of the holidays, doctors at Primary Children’s Hospital are afraid communitywide influenza spikes could bring more kids into hospitals.

Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes

SALT LAKE CITY While COVID-19 and RSV remain a concern ahead of the holidays, doctors at Primary Children’s Hospital are afraid communitywide influenza spikes could force more kids into hospitals.

Dr. Trahern Jones, a pediatric infectious diseases physician at University of Utah Health and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, said the hospital system is seeing a rise in flu cases across Utah, including in children.

Meanwhile on Friday, the Utah Department of Health reported 1,330 new COVID-19 cases and eight new deaths. The rolling, seven-day average for positive tests is 1,254 per day, and the average positive rate of those tested is 15.4%.

Last week, the Intermountain system confirmed 125 flu cases, and numbers are “only rising on an exponential rate,” Jones said during a news conference Friday.

But Jones said the state has a 14% lower flu vaccination rate this year compared to last year at the same time.

“This has got us concerned that we’re kind of vulnerable to rising flu cases,” he said.

Can You Still Get The Flu After Getting The Flu Shot

If you do get the flu shot, its not a full guarantee that itll keep you from contracting the flu. This is because the virus is known to mutate and change over time. That means that the flu shot you get could still protect you from different flu strains. If you come across a different strain, you can still get sick.

For example, In 2000, we had exactly the right combination of flu strains in the vaccine, Dr. Poland says. Then, out of nowhere, in November, there was a new strain, and people had no protection.

In short, having some form of protection against the flu is far better than none. As there are various types of the influenza virus going around, its a great idea to protect yourself against as many as possible.

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Why Do Some People Not Feel Well Or Feel Like They Have Flu Symptoms After Getting A Flu Vaccine

While a flu vaccine cannot give you the flu, there may be times when you dont feel well after getting your flu vaccine. Heres why:

  • You may get some mild and temporary side effects after your flu vaccine, such as soreness or redness where you got your shot, muscle aches, headache or a low fever. These common side effects usually begin soon after you get the vaccine and last 1-2 days. These reactions are a sign that your immune system is working and that your body is building protection against flu.
  • You could become sick from other respiratory viruses that are spreading during flu season. A flu vaccine only protects you from the flu, not other illnesses like COVID-19 or the common cold.
  • You could encounter flu viruses, which cause the flu, shortly before getting your flu vaccine or during the 2 weeks after getting the vaccine when your body is still building immunity. As a result, you could get the flu before the vaccine has the chance to protect you.
  • You could experience flu-like symptoms, even after getting vaccinated, because you were exposed to a flu virus that is very different from the viruses that the vaccine is designed to protect against. There are many different flu viruses that spread and cause illness among people. However, even when the circulating flu viruses are not a perfect match to the strains in the flu vaccine, getting a flu vaccine should still help protect you against serious flu illness and its complications.

Utah Jazz Centre Rudy Gobert And Milwaukee Bucks Guard Jrue Holiday Have Both Entered The Nbas Health And Safety Protocols Their Respective Teams Announced On Thursday Goberts Jazz Are Scheduled To Face The Toronto Raptors At Scotiabank Arena On Friday

Help Utah’s hospitals by getting your flu shot

    The Canadian Press

Rudy Gay and Rudy Gobert , The Canadian Press

The first time that Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, the NBA didnt even have health and safety protocols. It shut down the league instead.

This time, the Utah Jazz center might just miss a few days.

Gobert has tested positive for COVID-19 and was placed Thursday on the virus-related protocols list something that didnt even exist when he tested positive for the virus on March 11, 2020, the night that the NBA shut down for more than four months and ultimately decided to finish its season inside a bubble at Walt Disney World in Florida.

He has been ruled out for Utahs game Friday in Toronto. It is not clear how long he will be sidelined typically, even with shorter return-to-play rules in place now than what had been the case earlier this season, most players who enter the protocols are out for at least a week.

Gobert did not play in Utahs win at Denver on Wednesday night, with the team citing illness as the reason. The Jazz said Gobert took two rapid tests that day, both of which came back negative.

But a PCR test, processed overnight, came back Thursday with Gobert positive for the virus again, the team said.

Gobert becomes the second Jazz player on the protocols list, joining Joe Ingles. Utah entered the week as the only NBA team to not have a player in protocols this season, a streak that ended when Ingles was added to that list on Tuesday.

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Despite Hospitalizations And Swine Flu Reports Flu Season In Utah Is Starting Normally

SALT LAKE CITY At last count, four people are in Utah hospitals being treated for the flu. There are also reports of the H1N1 and H3N2 swine flu in the state. But doctors in Utah say its been a normal start to the flu season.

Dr. Andrew Pavia, Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Utah and Primary Childrens Hospital, says theyre seeing about half a dozen flu cases every week, which is typical for this time of year.

Dr. Pavia thinks the handful of swine flu reports are also normal.

Theyre coming in, often from travelers and sporadic places, Pavia says.

Dr. Pavia says health care professionals do not know how bad the flu season will be this year.

But hes also strongly encouraging people six months and older to get a flu shot.

Even otherwise perfectly healthy people can have very severe complications . If you look at the kids who end up dying of influenza every year, about half were otherwise healthy, Pavia says.

People with heart or respiratory issues are more at-risk for having complications when they do get sick, as are young children and those over the age of 65.

One thing that concerns doctors is the current shortages of nasal mist and high dose flu vaccines.

The high dose vaccine is more effective for people over 65. So, we recommend it as a first choice for people over 65. But if it is not available, dont delay , Pavia says.

More About The Flu Shot

The CDC recommends an annual Flu Shot for children six months and older with a few exceptions .

  • The Flu vaccine is needed every year because a persons immune protection declines over time and Flu viruses change year to year.
  • It takes about two weeks for the Flu vaccine to provide protection against the Flu.
  • You can still get the Flu even if you have been vaccinated, though studies have shown that the Flu Shot can reduce the severity of illness in those cases.
  • The CDC recommends to get vaccinated by the end of October, though getting vaccinated later can still protect you.
  • People are most contagious in the first 3-4 days of illness

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What Is The Difference Between Covid

Influenza and COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus that’s led to the current pandemic, are both infectious respiratory illnesses. Although the symptoms of COVID-19 and the flu can look similar, the two illnesses are caused by different viruses. Research so far indicates that COVID-19 spreads more easily and has a higher death rate than the flu.

  • COVID-19: Caused by one virus, the novel 2019 coronavirus, now called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2.
  • Influenza: Caused by any of several different types and strains of influenza viruses.
  • Loss of taste or smell

*Upper respiratory symptoms, like runny nose and sinus congestion, are very uncommon in COVID-19.

The severity of COVID-19 symptoms ranges from mild to severe. If you suspect you have COVID-19, call Intermountain Healthcares 24-hour hotline, Health Answers, at to talk with an Intermountain clinician who can review your symptoms and give specific care recommendations. If your symptoms are mild you will likely be directed to stay home to protect others from illness and follow the CDCs recommended guidance for self-care. If youre referred to a testing site or medical facility, remember to call ahead and let them know your symptoms before you go in. for more detailed information on coronavirus.

Docs: Pandemic Makes Regular Flu Shot Even More Important

Unusual

OGDEN, Utah As if COVID-19 werent enough to worry about, flu season is gearing up, giving those already jittery about every cough and sneeze more to fret over.

Is the sore throat due to the flu or COVID-19? What about those aches and pains?

Accordingly, Utah health officials are urging the public, now more than ever, to get vaccinated against the flu.

It is more important than ever to get your flu shot this season! This year we will be facing a bigger challenge than ever seasonal influenza that is still not fully preventable confounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Filip Roos, chief medical officer for Ogden Regional Medical Center.

The added urgency stems in part from the symptoms the ailments share and concerns about confusing them.

Many of the symptoms of influenza and COVID-19 are similar, and it can be difficult to figure out which infection a person has, said Tamara Sheffield, medical director of community health and prevention for Intermountain Healthcare. Symptoms that the two infections share are a dry cough, fever and chills, fatigue, achiness. People with COVID-19 sometimes have shortness of breath or difficulty breathing and sometimes have a loss of taste or smell, while people with influenza rarely have those symptoms. Headaches are more common in influenza than in COVID-19. Both occasionally show symptoms of sore throat, runny or stuffy nose or diarrhea.

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Does Cvs At Salt Lake City Utah Offer Flu Shots

Flu shots are available at CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic locations, including CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic locations found in Target, every day, including evenings and weekends. Schedule your flu shot ahead of time so you can get in and out faster. Provide your insurance information and answer questions online ahead of time. Find more flu shot FAQs and other flu vaccination resources.

*FOR FLU SHOTS: Flu shots available when immunizing pharmacist or MinuteClinic health care provider is on duty. Age restrictions apply. Eligible patients will not pay any copayments unless otherwise required by their plan, including Medicare Part B.Back

*FOR FLU SHOT RECOMMENDATION: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Frequently asked influenza questions: 2020-2021 season. Updated July 28, 2020. Available at: . Accessed August 3, 2020. Back

If You Think You Have The Flu:

Like a cold, the flu is very contagious, therefore, you should stay home and schedule a visit with your health care provider right away. They can run a quick test to determine whether you have the flu virus. If so, then your provider can prescribe antiviral medications that may shorten the length of your illness by 24-48 hours.

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Administering Flu Vaccines During The Covid

CDC has released Interim Guidance for Immunization Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic. This guidance is intended to help immunization providers in a variety of clinical and alternative settings with the safe administration of vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. This guidance will be continually reassessed and updated based on the evolving epidemiology of COVID-19 in the United States. Healthcare providers who give vaccines should also consult guidance from state, local, tribal, and territorial health officials.

  • If healthcare providers wear gloves when administering vaccine, they should change their gloves and wash their hands between patients.
  • For patients presenting for care or routine visits, ensure physical distancing by implementing strategies, such as:
  • Reduce crowding in waiting areas by asking patients to remain outside until they are called into the facility for their appointment.
  • Ensure that physical distancing measures, with separation of at least 6 feet between patients and visitors, are maintained during all aspects of the visit, including check-in, checkout, screening procedures, and postvaccination monitoring. Use strategies such as physical barriers, signs, ropes, and floor markings.
  • Use electronic communications as much as possible to minimize patients time in the office as well as their sharing of materials .
  • Information about coadministration of COVID-19 and other vaccines is available. .

    It Is Not Necessary To Get A Flu Shot Every Year

    Hospitals prepare for flu season amid pandemic

    Again, this is another myth. Flu viruses mutate and change necessitating the flu vaccine to be changed as well. The components of the flu vaccine are different each year as doctors and scientists attempt to predict and counteract which outbreaks will occur in a given year. As a result, it is vital to get the vaccine annually.

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