Sept. 01--State epidemiologist Sharon Alroy-Preis has two words of advice for New Hampshire residents: Get vaccinated.
It's not too early to start thinking about flu season, not at all. Several drugstore chains are advertising shots now, including some promotions for "all-in-one" flu vaccines.
Alroy-Preis said this year's flu vaccine, as always, includes three strains of flu -- H1N1, an influenza B-type strain, and a new influenza A strain. So, she said, every flu shot is a three-in-one -- always.
What's new this year, besides the influenza A strain, is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendation that every man, woman and child over 6 months old get vaccinated.
"Vaccination is recommended for everyone," Alroy-Preis said. "This is based on what we saw last year, especially with young adults. We now know we have to vaccinate."
To help make that happen, the state Department of Health and Human Services is planning school-based clinics in six regions of the state, she said. The state Executive Council will vote next month on who will administer the vaccine at those school clinics.
Alroy-Preis said the state hopes to start those clinics in October and continue them through February.
Last year was a busy one for Garrett Simonsen, public health network coordinator for the Greater Derry Region, which covers 10 Southern New Hampshire towns. They held some 20 flu vaccination clinics and vaccinated about 3,000 people, he said.
That was all in response to fears of an H1N1 pandemic and funded federally.
"This year, I don't anticipate that we will be running clinics in that way, but that's always subject to change," Simonsen said Monday. "At this point, what we will do is continued regional planning for public health emergencies and promoting things people can do to stay safe and healthy."
It might be tough to think about flu season while the temperature is in the 80s and the beaches are crowded. But Alroy-Preis said last year's flu season peaked in September-October, months earlier than the typical February peak.
She said there's no way to predict what will happen this year, but a flu shot in August will remain effective through April or May, so there is no reason to delay.
While the state has not seen flu activity yet, Alroy-Preis said it is possible.
The strains of flu included in the annual vaccine are determined by a CDC committee, members of which study what strains are active in the Southern Hemisphere before making a recommendation.
"We know H1N1 is still circulating in the Southern Hemisphere and we know it can still come around," Alroy-Preis said.
"We need to be aware that in previous pandemics, 1918 and 1957, what we saw were waves of flu. The first wave often isn't as severe, like what we had (with H1N1), but subsequent waves were more severe."
She said the DHHS is trying to determine what kinds of vaccination demands there will be in the state this year.
Most adults are covered by their insurance policies. DHHS is investigating whether it can help with those uninsured or under-insured adults.
There was federal money for that last year, but Alroy-Preis said that wouldn't be the case this year.
The antibodies last eight or nine months, so a vaccination now would protect a person for the entire flu season, she said.
"Even if someone got an H1N1 (shot) last year, they should get the flu vaccine this year," she said. "The new vaccine has a new strain never vaccinated for before."
While drugstore chains are advertising flu shots, Alroy-Preis said, the state doesn't have any vaccine yet. But, she added, it will shortly and there is no anticipated shortage.
-----
To see more of The Derry News or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.derrynews.com/.
Copyright (c) 2010, The Derry News, N.H.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail services@mctinfoservices.com, or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544).
NASDAQ:CDCS,