Flu activity becomes widespread, closing schools

Kentucky's flu activity level has become widespread, which means at least half the regions of the state have reported confirmed cases of influenza.

Schools are a testimony to this increase in activity, as they have been swamped with absences related to illness, many reporting flu or flu-like symptoms. Several of them have closed their doors Friday hopes for recovery over the weekend.

One of the first big episodes came several weeks ago when Lexington's Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Band cancelled its appearance in the Lexington Christmas Parade because of widespread illness. They had just returned from marching in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Kathy Jaeger, president of the band boosters, told WKYT-TV that nearly 100 band members and two band directors were sick with strep throat and flu-like symptoms.

WKYT reported that up to 20 percent of students were out sick last week at some Central Kentucky schools. Paris Elementary reported 20 percent of its students out, most with flu-like symptoms.

Toliver Elementary in Danville cancelled classes for Friday, Dec. 12 because of the number of sick students and teachers, sending a note home to students that said: "The staff has worked overtime to keep the doors open, wiping noses, taking temperatures, and teaching. Worn down by the effort and in such close contact with students, significant numbers of staff are now ill as well. The number surmounts resources available."

Harrison County Schools also cancelled classes Friday because of the rising number of reported student illnesses, Donald Richie reported for The Cynthiana Democrat.

Greg Hollon, Clark County director of pupil personnel student support services, told WKYT that parents should keep their kids at home if they are sick.

"If your child is exhibiting symptoms, they're nauseous, they're coughing, they have a high fever, any of those symptoms, symptoms that would warrant taking them to the doctor. We always would encourage parents to exercise good judgment," he said.

The flu is highly contagious and because it is spread from person to person, it is easily spread in school environments. And this year a strain of the flu  (H1N1) that is especially hard on children and young adults is circulating, according to a state press release.

“In this flu season so far, H1N1 has continued to circulate and there have been reports nationally of severe illness in young and middle-aged adults,” Health Commissioner Stephanie Mayfield said. “We strongly recommend vaccination of children, teenager and young to middle-aged adults, even if they are healthy, to prevent the spread of and complications from the flu this year. All forms of flu vaccine available in Kentucky this year provide protection against the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus.”

The most common symptoms of the flu are high fever, chills and shakes, extreme tiredness, headache and body aches, sore throat, headaches, a dry hacking cough, and vomiting and belly pain.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the best way to prevent the flu is to get a vaccine, and it recommends a vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older.

People who are especially encouraged to receive the flu vaccine, because they may be at higher risk for complications or negative consequences, include:

 • Children age 6 months to 19 years;
 • Pregnant women;
 • Young and middle-aged adults for the 2013-2014 influenza season;
 • People 50 years old or older;
 • People of any age with chronic health problems;
 • People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities;
 • Health care workers;
 • Caregivers of or people who live with a person at high risk for complications from the flu; and
 • Out-of-home caregivers of, or people who live with, children less than 6 months old.

If you haven't gotten your flu shot yet, this week is an excellent time to get it, with the holidays coming up

State health officials are encouraging Kentuckians to get a flu vaccination during National Influenza Vaccination Week, Dec. 7-13.

"Getting a flu vaccine is an early holiday gift you can give to yourself and your family,” said Dr. Stephanie Mayfield, commissioner of the Department for Public Health. “As the holidays approach, people will be traveling, and families will gather together, increasing the potential for exposure to the flu. We are strongly urging anyone who hasn’t received a flu vaccine, particularly those at high risk for complications related to the flu, to check with local health departments or other providers.”

National Influenza Vaccination Week is a reminder to those people who have not yet received a flu vaccine that the time to get vaccinated continues into winter – through January or later, when flu season typically peaks. Because it takes about two weeks for the body to develop protective antibodies against the flu following vaccination, Kentuckians who have not had a chance to be vaccinated should seek out the opportunity during this season.

Throughout the week, health departments and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will highlight the importance of vaccinations for those people at high risk, their close contacts and all those who want to be protected against the flu. In addition, good health habits such as washing hands often with soap and warm water; avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth; and staying at home from work or school when sick will also be emphasized.

Kentucky’s flu activity level has recently increased to regional, which indicates an upturn in influenza-like illness or outbreaks of flu in some regions of the state.

The best way to protect against the flu is to receive a flu vaccination. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends flu vaccine for all individuals 6 months of age and older. People who should especially receive the flu vaccine because they may be at higher risk for complications or negative consequences include:

• Children ages 6 months through 18 years;
• Pregnant women;
• People 50 years old or older;
• People of any age with chronic health problems;
• People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities;

• Health care workers;                               
• Caregivers of or people who live with a person at high risk for complications from the flu; and
• Out-of-home caregivers of or people who live with children less than 6 months old.

Kentuckians should receive a new flu vaccination each season for optimal protection. Healthy, non-pregnant people ages 2 through 49 can be vaccinated with either the flu shot or the nasal vaccine spray. Children younger than 9 years old who did not receive a previous seasonal flu vaccination should receive a second dose at least four weeks after their first vaccination.

High-dose flu vaccine is available for persons aged 65 years and older this year.

The CDC says some of the nation’s circulating flu viruses may not be covered well by this year’s vaccine.  That is not unusual. "Despite the possibility of a poor vaccine match for one of the circulating strains, vaccination still provides the best protection against influenza," a state news release said. "The vaccine appears to be a good match for many of the strains which are being transmitted, and because of antibody cross-protection, should help to reduce hospitalizations and deaths, even in persons who may contract the mismatched strain of influenza."

In addition to flu vaccine, the health department strongly encourages all adults 65 years and older and others in high risk groups to ask their health care provider about the pneumococcal vaccines. These vaccines can help prevent a type of pneumonia that is one of the flu’s most serious and potentially deadly complications. The CDC now recommends that adults 65 years or older receive the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13, Prevnar-13) in addition to the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23, PneumoVax-23). Getting both vaccines offers the best protection against pneumococcal disease. Between 3,000 and 49,000 deaths are attributed to flu and pneumonia nationally each year, with more than 90 percent of those deaths occurring in people age 65 and older.

Five myths about flu shots, explored and debunked

Myths about the influenza vaccine circulate every year and make it difficult for some to decide whether to get the shot, Tom Watkins reports for CNN.

This prompted him to look at five of the most common myths and presents the "truth based on information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

Perhaps the most common myth is that the flu shot can give you the flu. The CDC says the virus in flu shots is dead and cannot cause infection. So why do some people feel bad after a flu shot? The CDC says that this is often caused by soreness at the injection site, which is caused by the immune system working to create antibodies to the killed viruses in the vaccine. Or, you could be sick with another seasonal illness that acts like the flu or have a flu virus that is not in the vaccine. Finally, especially among the elderly and people with weak immune systems, although the CDC says it still can prevent complications in this high-risk group. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices says "symptoms, in rare instances, include fever, muscle pain, and discomfort or weakness, which also typically go away after a day or two," Watkins reports.

Another myth is that it is better to get the vaccine late in the season so it will last longer. The CDC says that this is not true, Watkins reports: "The shot lasts an entire flu season, except for some children who may need two doses."

The third myth is that the flu shot might adversely affect pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says "The flu vaccine is an essential element of prenatal care," and recommends a flu shot for all pregnant women, who are at higher risk for flu complications. Pregnant women should only get a flu shot, and not the nasal vaccine.

The fourth myth is the belief that "I've had the flu before and it was no big deal, so bring it on." This is a fallacy, Watkins reports, because seasonal flu "exacts a bigger toll in some years than in others because the viruses that circulate in one may differ than those that circulate in another" and people's response to viral infections differ from year to year.

The final myth is that the flu shot doesn't work. Watkins writes that while "it doesn't work all the time, it does offer some level of protection." According to the CDC, one study in 2010-2011 showed 60 percent efficacy for all age groups, and studies from earlier years found protection rates of up to 90 percent.

The CDC recommends that all people older than 6 months get a flu vaccine. They also recommend that you get it early because it takes two weeks from the time of the injection for the flu shot to work.

Expectant mothers need to get a flu shot

Expectant mothers need to get a flu shot as soon as it is available in their area, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Only the flu shot, not the nasal-spray vaccine, is recommended for pregnant women because it is made with the inactivated (killed) virus. Pregnant women should not receive the spray vaccine, which is made with live attenuated (weakened) virus, BabyCenter, an online parenting and pregnancy resource, writes.

The changes to a pregnant woman's immune system, heart and lung function during pregnancy can make them even more sensitive to the flu, the CDC says.

Pregnant women have a harder time fighting off infections and are more likely to develop serious complications. They "are at a higher risk of hospitalization, and even death, than non-pregnant women," the CDC says. A severe illness in a pregnant mother can cause premature labor and delivery of the fetus and fever in early pregnancy can lead to birth defects.

Getting a flu shot during your pregnancy will also offer some protection to your baby up to six months after he or she is born, when the baby can be vaccinated. Breastfeeding your baby will also offer some protection from the flu. Studies show that babies who are breastfed do not get as sick and are sick less often than babies who are not breastfed.

If you did not get a flu shot during pregnancy, the CDC recommends that you get one after you deliver. After the baby is born you can get the either the flu shot or the nasal spray, even if you are breastfeeding. The CDC also recommends that anyone who comes in contact with your baby get a flu shot.

The CDC says pregnant women with flu-like symptoms should contact their health care proider immediately, but should seek emergency care if they are experiencing any of the following:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• High fever
• Decreased or no movement by your baby

Lots of research has established that children with egg allergies can still get a flu shot; those with asthma especially should

Flu season can start as early as October, and  children with egg allergies are now encouraged to get a flu shot, especially if they have asthma, according to a news release from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Children with egg allergies may have been told in the past to not get a flu shot because of a possible reaction to trace amounts of eggs in which the vaccine is produced, but recent research now says that the vaccine is safe for these kids.

“We now know administration is safe, and children with egg allergies should be vaccinated,” Michael Foggs, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, said in the news release. “We recommend that, as with any vaccine, all personnel and facilities administering flu shots have procedures in place for the rare instance of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction.”

The release says "a large number of research studies published over the last several years have shown that thousands of egg-allergic children, including those with a severe life-threatening reaction to eating eggs, have received injectable influenza vaccine as a single dose without a reaction."

More than 21,100 children under the age of five are hospitalized annually because of the flu, with only 55 percent of children ages 5-17 getting a flu shot, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says the release.

Foggs especially recommended that children with asthma get the vaccine, because even though they are not more likely to get the flu, it can be more serious for those with asthma, says the release.

"Children with asthma really need to get the flu vaccine," Foggs said in the release. “Asthma sufferers are among the most vulnerable because the flu compromises their airways even further than they already are.”