Influenza poised to strike
Bad news: Flu season is near — Good news: There’s plenty of vaccine

Registered nurse Diana Alonzo, left, gives Drew Money a flu shot Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2006, at the Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services in Gallup, N.M. Flu season is here again as health officials prepare by giving early shots to patients not yet afflicted with the virus. [Independent File Photo]

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — Two years ago the flu season — which usually begins in November or December — started the first week of October.

Dr. Max Sewell, an epidemiologist for the New Mexico Department of Health, said there is no way to predict or project when influenza will strike, only that there is a good surveillance system set up to monitor the virus when it does.

Three years ago, for two consecutive years, there were problems ordering and receiving enough flu for everyone in the state who wanted a flu vaccine. People cannot get the flu from the vaccine, that is a myth.

In 2004, an English company had contamination issues and was disqualified from shipping out its vaccines, causing a shortage in the United States.

Two years ago the vaccines were in short supply because only two manufacturers were making the vaccine, a third manufacturer stopped making it on short notice.

This year, as in 2006, indications are there should be enough flu vaccine for everyone who wants it to be able to have the injection.

Alternative for those allergic to eggs
At-risk patients, however, have first priority, and those who are allergic to eggs or egg by-products should not get the injection but use the FluMist nasal inhaler, available only in doctors’ offices or flu clinics.

“FluMist is a live vaccine but has been modified in the lab to make it nonpathogenic and will not cause illness,” Sewell said.

Last year the state ordered a total of 208,480 flu vaccines: 110,000 adult doses and 98,480 pediatric doses.

Most flu shots are given by local doctors, or in flu clinics held by major health organizations, such as Lovelace or Presbyterian HealthCare.

Vaccines are also available in the public health departments in each county, but those are backup systems specifically for people who have no medical insurance or a primary care doctor.

Common sense
“Common sense helps prevent the flu from spreading,” Sewell said.

“Wash your hands well, and there is now some evidence that when you have to sneeze, then sneeze into your armpit instead of your hands or into a tissue, it is more effective in preventing the germs from spreading,” he said. “If you get the flu, stay home, don’t go out and spread it to others.

The Grants-Cibola County School District started placing alcohol-based hand cleaners in every classroom two years ago to help reduce spreading the flu, colds and other problems. That practice has been continued and is in place this school year as well.

“The flu season usually peaks in January or February and dissipates in March or April,” Sewell said.

“We’ve seen the flu season start in January and October and every month in between, it’s certainly a guessing game on when it will start every year,” he said.

New flu strain
There is a new strain of influenza that is circulating in the southern hemisphere, he said. It is not certain whether that strain will be included in the vaccine composition this fall though. Only three flu strains are combined in the vaccine each year.

“An international committee watches the flu strains every year and decides what strains to put into the vaccine. That is also a guessing game because it takes about six to eight months to manufacture a vaccine then the manufacturer has to get approval from the FDA before it can ship.“

Deborah Busemeyer, communications director for the health department said New Mexico has already received a small shipment of vaccine for this year, which is earlier than normal, with first shipments usually arriving in October.

The health department does not plan to ship any of the few vaccines it has received until a week or two from now and immunizations will not be available to the public until late October, the usual time frame the vaccine is offered.

“We recommend getting flu shots earlier rather than later,” she said.

It takes up to two weeks for the vaccine to become fully effective and it lasts for about six months, she said.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 287-2197
or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.