Worried About
Flu Vaccine Shortages?
3 Big Reasons Not to Panic
By Christine Climer
“The flu kills 36,000
people each year.”
This is a statistic bandied about frequently during flu season,
but it’s important to understand what it really means. This
figure represents roughly half of the deaths caused by both the
flu and pneumonia combined. In some cases the flu does cause pneumonia,
but there are many other viruses, bacteria and fungi
that cause this illness without the flu. Arbitrarily splitting
the number in half is not an accurate representation of the number
of flu-related deaths.
The Centers
for Disease Control (CDC) actually maintains an online database
you can search for death statistics up to the year 2001. Each
cause of death is assigned a particular code. Influenza-related
deaths (with and without pneumonia) are represented by the codes
J10-J11.8, and all types of pneumonia other than flu are represented
by the codes J12-J18.9. Searching the database provides these
statistics:
| Year |
Number of Flu
Deaths |
Number of Pneumonia
Deaths |
Number of Flu
and Pneumonia Deaths Combined |
| 1999 |
1,665 |
62,065 |
63,730 |
| 2000 |
1,765 |
63,548 |
65,313 |
| 2001 |
--257 |
61,5777 |
62,034 |
“This is going to be a really bad flu season.”
According to the CDC, “influenza (flu) seasons are unpredictable.
Although epidemics of flu happen in most years, the beginning,
severity and length of the epidemic can vary widely from year
to year. Before a season begins, it is not possible to accurately
predict the features of any season.” Last year, news stories
predicted a severe flu season — but what actually happened
was that it simply occurred a little earlier in the season than
anticipated.
No one knows whether 2004-2005
will be a severe season or not — but so far, flu activity
is nothing out of the ordinary. According to CDC Director Dr.
Julie Gerberding, “We're getting off to a bit of a slow
start.” There is no reason for undue alarm this year.
“If I don’t
get the flu vaccine, I’ll surely end up sick.”
The hype surrounding this year’s flu vaccine shortage has
many people panicked, even if they don’t normally receive
the vaccine. Isn’t that the way it seems to always go —
if you can’t have it, you want it even more?
Take a deep breath and relax! The
best way to keep from getting sick this winter is to prevent the
spread of germs. The least expensive, easiest and most effective
way to do that is to wash your hands frequently. Lather up with
plain soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds. Use an alcohol-based
hand sanitizer in a pinch. Make sure to encourage your children
to wash, too, and help them establish a hand-washing routine at
school.
Have you noticed that people cover
their mouths and noses with their hands when they cough or sneeze?
How often to they immediately wash those hands afterward? Not
very often! Then they spread those cold and flu germs when they
touch doorknobs, grocery cart handles, telephones and all sorts
of things with their unwashed hands. Try coughing or sneezing
into the crook of your elbow or down the inside of your shirt
instead of into your hands. This helps keep the germs from becoming
airborne and keeps your hands from spreading them around. Again,
make sure to teach your children to do the same.
Make sure to get plenty of rest,
avoid holiday overindulgences and keep your stress levels low
this winter. Any time you are fatigued, stressed out or haven’t
been eating well, your immune system doesn’t function as
well as it should. And finally, if the air in your home is very
dry during the winter months and the membranes in your nose become
dry and cracked, it’s easier for germs to take hold. Try
a saline nasal spray or run a humidifier.
References
http://www.4woman.gov/news/octdec04/oct214.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/0405season.htm#characteristics
http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/10/20/flu/
http://wonder.cdc.gov/welcome.html
© Christine Climer
Christine Climer is a registered
nurse with experience in pulmonary disease, pediatrics, home health
and hospice services. Also trained in early childhood education,
she is currently executive director and child care nurse for an
early childhood health promotion organization. She lives with
her husband and three children (including a set of twins) in Texas
and enjoys researching health issues and gardening.
