Last year, flu season hit early — the outbreak of the sometimes deadly swine flu, H1N1, began in April — and resulted in the first flu pandemic in more than 40 years. Officials don’t expect such trouble this year, but they say people should still take serious precautions, including being vaccinated.
“With kids back in school, they start to spread germs,” said Ontario County Public Health Director Mary Beer. Healthy habits such as frequent handwashing and sneezing into your elbow should be followed, she said. Also, people should plan to be vaccinated for influenza, she said.
While Beer and other health directors are in the early stages of planning for this year’s flu season, they expect there will be ample doses for everyone to be vaccinated and people should take advantage of that.
Even if you had a flu shot last year, said Beer, you still need to be vaccinated this year for the 2010/2011 season and vaccine “will be widely available.”
This year’s vaccine will guard against three types of flu, including last year’s H1N1 — which was linked to several deaths in the region, including two who died in Ontario County in mid-November.
Before last Thanksgiving, the region “saw big spikes with schools and (emergency departments) experiencing a surge in flu,” said Beer.
Kim Tenreiro, co-owner of the Pharmacy Shop at 66 West Ave., said when the demand for the liquid form of Tamiflu, an antiviral medication used to treat flu symptoms, couldn’t keep up with supply last flu season, the Pharmacy Shop produced it in-house. Tenreiro said the shop would do so again, if necessary, though he expects manufacturers will be well prepared this year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, epidemics of flu happen every year, though the timing, severity, and length depend on many factors — including what flu viruses are spreading and whether they match the viruses in the vaccine. While not certain, it is likely the 2009 H1N1 viruses will continue to spread along with seasonal viruses nationwide during the upcoming flu season. The timing of flu varies from season to season, though flu activity most commonly peaks in the United States in January or February and can occur as late as May.
Beer said Ontario County has not yet received doses of vaccine, though will be communicating with top officials in the coming weeks to plan a strategy to combat the flu, including vaccination clinics.
