It’s not too late: Get your flu shot

Thanks in part to an early-winter cold snap that saw temperatures
plummeting into the single digits and people huddling close indoors for
warmth, the flu season is seeing an early peak that is likely to extend
into April. And while there’s no cause to panic over sensational
headlines warning of a “widespread,” potentially deadly outbreak, there
is a need to take precautions to stay healthy.

“There’s so much attention on it, but it’s not a new problem,” Dr.
Virginia Lemay, Pharm.D., clinical associate professor in the URI
College of Pharmacy, said of recent news reports. “There are deaths
every year, but once the flu season is in its peak, that’s when people
pay more attention to it.”

That peak came early this year as cold weather sent more people
indoors, in closer quarters with others, allowing the communicable
disease to thrive. State departments of health, including Rhode
Island’s, have issued public warnings over the “significant increase” in
the virus in early January, about a month sooner than average. The
early peak — while likely extending the worst of the flu season — has
the advantage of focusing people on preventative measures.

“For most people, the flu is just the flu. You might feel achy from
head to toe, but you’ll feel better within a week,” Lemay said. “But for
the very old, the very young, or anyone otherwise ill, it can be much
more serious. The healthier the general population can keep themselves,
the better we can protect the vulnerable. That’s why it’s so important
for everyone to get a flu shot.”

The flu vaccine is the best protection people have against influenza.
Contrary to some beliefs, the flu shot cannot cause a recipient to get
the flu. And while it is not 100 percent effective, the vaccine protects
against most flu strains and helps one’s immune system better fight the
virus if it does take hold.

The flu shot is not just for those traditionally at risk. Even young,
healthy individuals with no high-risk factors like asthma, diabetes,
heart disease or a compromised immune system must be vaccinated not just
for their own health, but also to prevent spreading the virus to
others. That’s a particular concern on a college campus where students
live in close proximity. And it’s not too late to protect yourself. With
nearly three months to go in the flu season, health experts are urging
anyone who has not yet been vaccinated to do so as soon as possible.

“It’s the best defense we have. Not only will it help prevent the
flu, it’ll help the body respond to it better,” Lemay said. “There is no
shortage of flu shots; all community pharmacists may immunize at any
time, day or night.”

Patients with a high risk factor who contract the flu should see
their doctor right away to get anti-viral medication like Tamiflu, Lemay
said. Traditional antibiotics combat bacteria and do nothing against
viruses such as the flu. Those without risk factors can also take
anti-virals, but, like all medicines, they come with side effects and
are effective only within the first 48 hours of contracting the flu,
said Lemay, who advised calling your doctor rather than going to a
hospital emergency room.

“It is very contagious; you can put other people in the ER at risk of
getting it,” Lemay said. “If you have a high risk factor, you need to
go to the doctor right away. Otherwise, it’s usually best to stay home,
take fever reducers, stay hydrated and get lots of sleep.”