Flu ???
 

How’s everyone feeling? I was sick this past week & apparently I gave my germs to my husband. He’s feeling pretty awful. Both of us have visited Urgent Care. We were told there is a flu strain going around that the shot did not protect from. Hope the bug gets out of here.

Sorry to hear you had the flu. I am on week 2 of the flu but feeling better. BTW I also had the flu shot.

The good news, is that if you get the flu shot and you end up with one of the other strains of flu that the shot doesn't protect against, you will most likely get a much milder episode than if you hadn't been vaccinated at all.

Also, it's important to understand that the flu can take a couple of weeks in the system before it shows any symptoms. So if you got the flu VERY recently, you might already be infected - and then the shot won't prevent you from getting sick. It'll reduce the symptoms but that's about it.

The flu vaccine is not a treatment for the flu. It's a preventative - meaning, you have to not already be infected, if you want the vaccine to prevent you from being infected!

Tamiflu is an option to treat the flu if you already have it, but it comes with potentially bad side effects. So it's very important to be honest with the doctor about your overall health, current meds, etc. and not just walk in there with the expectation that he'll automatically write up a prescription for it.

I was vaccinated this year in mid-September. I'm on the younger side of "senior" and I'm fairly active and try to eat well (at least a few days a week, heh). So far I have a little bit of scratchiness in my chest, I have a morning cough, and I sneezed a few times today already (and it's only 8 am). I don't anticipate being sick, this is just how I usually am in the winter and I'm guessing my body doesn't realize it's in florida now and doesn't have to show off this year :)

"The good news, is that if you get the flu shot and you end up with one of the other strains of flu that the shot doesn't protect against, you will most likely get a much milder episode than if you hadn't been vaccinated at all."

Depends. Maybe, maybe not

"Also, it's important to understand that the flu can take a couple of weeks in the system before it shows any symptoms. So if you got the flu VERY recently, you might already be infected - and then the shot won't prevent you from getting sick. It'll reduce the symptoms but that's about it."

Yes, first part, maybe, second part

"Tamiflu is an option to treat the flu if you already have it, but it comes with potentially bad side effects. So it's very important to be honest with the doctor about your overall health, current meds, etc. and not just walk in there with the expectation that he'll automatically write up a prescription for it."

Must be started within 48-72 hours after onset of symptoms, or used prophylactically if documented influenza A is present in the household

Sorry, a bit technical. The CDC reports on the strains which are circulating in the US on a weekly basis.
Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report | CDC
It also provides information on which strains were in the vaccine used this year.
Frequently Asked Influenza (Flu) Questions: 2019-2020 Season | CDC

The standard and high dose shot had 4 strains included
Influenza A/Brisbane/02/2018 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus
influenza A/Kansas/14/2017 (H3N2)-like virus
Influenza B Colorado/06/2017-like (Victoria lineage) virus
Influenza B/Phuket/3073/2013-like (Yamagata lineage) virus

The circulating strains have been typed:
42 of 42 tested Flu A H1N1 are a good match to that in the vaccine
12 of 17 A H3N2 are a good match to that in the vaccine
19 of 25 B Victoria are a good match to that in the vaccine
10 of 10 B Yamagata are a good match to that in the vaccine.

So the CDC did a great job selecting the strains in this year's vaccine. There will always be more than 4 subtypes in circulation but they got the right subtype for each of the types.
It is important as well to note that when testing patients for influenza who have respiratory illnesses, only ~17% test positive nationally and 25% in Florida. That means if you have respiratory symptoms it is far more likely that you do not have influenza.

The standard anti-influenza medications are excellent so far this year, the strains circulating are over 99% covered by the meds.

And just to make you worry, and encourage you to wash your hands... Influenza virus remains infectious for up to several hours on a hard surface.

Lastly if you want to see a really terrific video showing how far droplets fly out of your nose and mouth when you sneeze... Check THIS NPR video

All of the above is true

Remember, each year the CDC samples flu strains from Asia in the spring and makes their best guess as to what will hit the US. Good job so far this year, but as history tells, sometimes an unexpected strain emerges late in the season. Despite all the technical discussion, best defense is to GET YOUR FLU SHOT!!!

Thank you, blueash,

I have always wondered what they know and when they know it.

I wash my hands like I think I am scrubbing to do surgery — or maybe more like Lady MacBeth. And when trying to get out the door in a public restroom, I sometimes have to stretch like I am doing yoga so I can use a paper towel between the handle and me and still hit the wastebasket when throwing away said towel. (Some places put the wastebasket close to the door which I wish all public restrooms would do.)

I am way too often horrified by women I see leave a public restroom stall and head straight for the door and out. YUCK! (And, yes, I have seen this happen even in TV.)

All I know is since (over 30 yrs) I've been getting a flu shot I haven't got sick with the flu. :a040:

I also carry hand sanitizer and use after leaving public restrooms. I'm not fanatical about using it but it is always in my pocket. I now get my flu shots at Publix, easier to get and multi-task. Now I need to get the Shingles Shots.

And make sure you wash your hands or at least use hand sanitizer after handling the menu in the restaurants. They are filthy.

No flu here. I've never had a flu shot in my life, & do not want one.

unless you see them coming from a handicapped stall. those have their own sinks, soaps, & paper towels.

I think in most cases I would take my chances handling the menus rather than going the Sanitizer Route. Google side effects of Sanitizers and you'll see what I mean. It's very informative.

We have never had a flu shot (severe reaction) and yet we have never had the flu. Knock on wood:a040:

But then again we ate stuff out of the garden without washing it, In our younger years. No canned or boxed food. Hand sanitizer is not your friend