The Two-Headed Influenza Season
The Two-Headed Influenza Season
This year's influenza ("the flu") season will be a trial for families and physicians alike. In late August or September, pharmaceutical companies will release the influenza vaccine (both nasal and injectable) against "seasonal" influenza, which was prepared last spring based on recommendations from the World Health Organization (W.H.O.). It will be comprised of three strains of influenza anticipated to circulate this winter. Children under nine years of age who have not been previously vaccinated against influenza will need two injections four weeks apart; everyone else should receive one vaccination. Don't underestimate the value of vaccination against seasonal influenza! Last year over 30,000 Americans died from complications of seasonal influenza.
The United States government, in cooperation with the C.D.C. and pharmaceutical companies, is already working on a vaccine against the novel H1N1 (Swine flu) that started circulating in the spring of 2009 after the W.H.O. had made the recommendations for the winter of 2009-10. Hopefully a vaccine will be available for distribution by late October/November/December 2009. If so, everyone will need to receive two vaccinations approximately four weeks apart to have full protection against all flu strains likely to circulate this winter. However, as of this time all dates and specifics about the novel influenza vaccine are not fixed and are subject to change.
What's a parent to do? First, contact your physician in early September and have your entire family vaccinated with the seasonal influenza vaccine originally recommended by the W.H.O. Whenever the novel (Swine) influenza vaccine becomes available, have your family revaccinated against this strain of flu. There will be shortages of both vaccines, so don't delay.
Russell McDonald, M.D.
Medical Director, Pediatrics After Hours 2