This year's flu vaccine sucks

[IIOY]

Fuck.  Ignore that this is the NY Daily News because I heard the same story on NPR today (ETA: here is the NPR story):

A sampling of flu cases so far this season suggests the current flu vaccine may not be a good match for the most common seasonal flu strain currently circulating in the United States, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday.



The U.S. health agency issued an advisory to doctors noting that flu virus samples the agency took from Oct. 1 through Nov. 22, showed that just under half were a good match for the current influenza A (H3N2) component contained in flu shots for the 2014-2015 season, suggesting the virus has drifted.



According to the CDC, flu activity has been low but is increasing and influenza A (H3N2) viruses appear to be the predominant strain, with cases having been detected in almost all U.S. states.



In past seasons when the influenza A (H3N2) strain had mutated from the vaccine strain, flu shots were less effective, the CDC said in the advisory.



Flu seasons dominated by influenza A (H3N2) strains tend to have higher overall hospitalization rates and more flu-related deaths, especially among older people and very young children compared with flu seasons dominated by the influenza A (H1N1) virus or influenza B viruses.



The CDC said flu shots may still offer some protection against drifted viruses, which could help reduce the risk of the most severe complications from the flu, such as hospitalization and death. The current seasonal flu shots will still protect against flu strains that have not mutated, such as the influenza A (H1N1) virus and the B viruses contained in the vaccine.


The CDC is stressing that doctors should be prepared to use antiviral medications when needed. These include Roche's Tamiflu and GlaxoSmithKline's Relenza.



However, a recent study from the Cochrane Review, a respected research network, suggests that while these medicines can shorten flu symptoms by around half a day, there is no good evidence behind claims they cut hospital admissions or lessen complications of the disease.



The CDC in its advisory said the benefit of these drugs is greatest when treatment is started early in the course of the infection.

[saz]

Shit. I've already had one "I got the flu shot and STILL got the flu" family member this year.. I guess now I know why but I think in her mind, it means flu shot causes flu.

[IIOY]

Dec 4, 2014 15:23:41 GMT -5 saz said:

Shit. I've already had one "I got the flu shot and STILL got the flu" family member this year.. I guess now I know why but I think in her mind, it means flu shot causes flu.

Two years ago I got the strain that wasn't covered by the flu shot and it was three weeks before I could go a full day without a full-blown nap.  My son slept for days and, stick-thin as he is, lost over 10% of his body weight.

[saz]

Dec 4, 2014 15:25:59 GMT -5 IIOY said:

Dec 4, 2014 15:23:41 GMT -5 saz said:

Shit. I've already had one "I got the flu shot and STILL got the flu" family member this year.. I guess now I know why but I think in her mind, it means flu shot causes flu.

Two years ago I got the strain that wasn't covered by the flu shot and it was three weeks before I could go a full day without a full-blown nap.  My son slept for days and, stick-thin as he is, lost over 10% of his body weight.

Do you think I can still get one of those ebola protection suits? Also, are they made in infant and child sizes? 

[litebright]

I got the flu two years ago despite getting the shot. It worked for the rest of my family -- as in, the girls got 36 hours of fever and that was all, and DH escaped entirely. Lucky me got knocked on my ass for 10 days.

You know, though, even if the version isn't as good as it could be, I'll still take some protection vs. none. My symptoms were atypical enough that my doc was hesitant to test me for flu (although she eventually did). She said that was likely because of some level of protection from the vaccine. It was shitty as hell to be so sick. I imagine it would've been even worse if I'd forgone the flu shot entirely.

[jillboston]

wonderful. Now fewer people will get the shot. grrr. Wash your hands and don't touch your faces people.

[demandypants]

this news bummed me out,
signed pregnant with twins, mother of DD with asthma.

[orangeblossom]

Meh, it happens. People should still get their shots. In theory, you should be less sick if you get the flu, despite getting the shot, even if it's a different strain. It's true for some, and not for others like IIOY and other posters.

I'm a die hard flu shot pusher, but yes, when they come out with news that it doesn't match, people use that as an excuse not to get vaccinated.

[summer]

Can I ask a dumb question? At what point do you (or your kids) need to go to the doctor for the flu? I'd look it up on Google, but I'm a hypochondriac and nothing good will come of that.

[orangeblossom]

Dec 4, 2014 15:44:54 GMT -5 summer said:

Can I ask a dumb question? At what point do you (or your kids) need to go to the doctor for the flu? I'd look it up on Google, but I'm a hypochondriac and nothing good will come of that.

Once you suspect it, you should see if you can get in immediately, so you can get Tamiflu.  Give me a sec, and I'll post a what you should do type poster.

ETA: Do the above, especially if you have a chronic condition and/or considered to be part of a vulnerable/immunocompromised population

[orangeblossom]

www.cdc.gov/flu/antivirals/whatyoushould.htm
www.cdc.gov/flu/takingcare.htm

summer

[summer]

Dec 4, 2014 15:48:59 GMT -5 orangeblossom said:

www.cdc.gov/flu/antivirals/whatyoushould.htm
www.cdc.gov/flu/takingcare.htm

summer

Thanks! Here is my thing, I never know if it's a cold or the flu if there is no fever.  I've had the flu badly before but I know it doesn't always present that way in the beginning.  

Do you take your kid to the doctor every time they have cold that lasts more than a few days but no fever?

[eponinepontmercy]

Dec 4, 2014 15:46:50 GMT -5 orangeblossom said:

Dec 4, 2014 15:44:54 GMT -5 summer said:

Can I ask a dumb question? At what point do you (or your kids) need to go to the doctor for the flu? I'd look it up on Google, but I'm a hypochondriac and nothing good will come of that.

Once you suspect it, you should see if you can get in immediately, so you can get Tamiflu.  Give me a sec, and I'll post a what you should do type poster.

ETA: Do the above, especially if you have a chronic condition and/or considered to be part of a vulnerable/immunocompromised population

Yup.  I think Tamiflu only works if you get it right away.  I got a mild strain of the flu last year (with the flu shot), and my doctor's office basically told me not to bother coming in because they couldn't do anything for me after 3 days of symptoms.

I was knocked out for 2 days.  It would have been 4, but I was traveling for work the first 2 days and couldn't get out of anything.  Once I got home and found I had a 101 fever, I felt mildly guilty about being on Amtrak.  Sorry, Northeast Corridor!

[orangeblossom]

Dec 4, 2014 15:52:54 GMT -5 summer said:

Dec 4, 2014 15:48:59 GMT -5 orangeblossom said:

www.cdc.gov/flu/antivirals/whatyoushould.htm
www.cdc.gov/flu/takingcare.htm

summer

Thanks! Here is my thing, I never know if it's a cold or the flu if there is no fever.  I've had the flu badly before but I know it doesn't always present that way in the beginning.  

Do you take your kid to the doctor every time they have cold that lasts more than a few days but no fever?

Yeah, it's tricky with no fever.  I think with no fever, I wouldn't not take them for a cold that lasts for more than a few days, because in reality, it can take weeks, for a cold to be gone.

Here's one more chart that may be helpful. health.clevelandclinic.org/2014/10/is-it-a-cold-or-the-flu-know-your-f-a-c-t-s-infographic/

[orangeblossom]

Family and flu www.cdc.gov/flu/freeresources/print-family.htm#pictograms

[downtoearth]

See I always want this info to come out more precise than it is. I'd love to see the tracking over the years as to percentage of viruses covered in the flu shot vs. those most prevalent and see if it's a 50% chance to guess next year's strains or more like an 80% or only 30% chance.

[tres3]

DS3 got the flu 2 years ago despite the flu shot, but it wasn't as severe as it could have been. He had a positive test but was back up running around in 3 days vs. 7

[summer]

orangeblossom, thanks for the info. And not just this time, every time. You always come through. 

[orangeblossom]

Dec 4, 2014 16:02:07 GMT -5 downtoearth said:

See I always want this info to come out more precise than it is. I'd love to see the tracking over the years as to percentage of viruses covered in the flu shot vs. those most prevalent and see if it's a 50% chance to guess next year's strains or more like an 80% or only 30% chance.

There is data on this, now how readily available it is, is a different story.  I went to a talk given by GSK last year that talked about it.  It's quite fascinating, actually.

[orangeblossom]

Dec 4, 2014 16:09:18 GMT -5 summer said:

orangeblossom, thanks for the info. And not just this time, every time. You always come through. 

You're quite welcome.

[feistypants]

Dec 4, 2014 15:48:59 GMT -5 orangeblossom said:

www.cdc.gov/flu/antivirals/whatyoushould.htm
www.cdc.gov/flu/takingcare.htm

summer

Thank you for this. I'm an asthmatic pregnant chick right now, and I'm terrified of the flu and, more appropriately, terrified of not being able to take antivirals if I get it. Now I know the cdc says it's fine.

[downtoearth]

Dec 4, 2014 16:21:16 GMT -5 orangeblossom said:

Dec 4, 2014 16:02:07 GMT -5 downtoearth said:

See I always want this info to come out more precise than it is. I'd love to see the tracking over the years as to percentage of viruses covered in the flu shot vs. those most prevalent and see if it's a 50% chance to guess next year's strains or more like an 80% or only 30% chance.

There is data on this, now how readily available it is, is a different story.  I went to a talk given by GSK last year that talked about it.  It's quite fascinating, actually.

I'm pretty sure I'm envisioning the flu-vaccine scientists who have running tallies as to which year each of them designed the vaccine and how close it was to actual flu strains and then they get to keep some special trophy until someone else gets closer than they did.

[msmerymac]

Ugh, you know this will just encourage anti-vaxxers who say, "they just pick a flu strain at random!!!"

[pixy0stix]

I'm fairly certain I had the flu last month. I just rode it out, but man was I miserable. I still have a deep chest cough intermittently.

[downtoearth]

Dec 4, 2014 16:47:17 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

Ugh, you know this will just encourage anti-vaxxers who say, "they just pick a flu strain at random!!!"

They aren't 100% untrue in this case, it's stats and science and trends, but it's also not ever going to be 100% right. However, we can't just report when science hits it out of the ballpark.  We, as an informed populous, need to hear this news to understand risk also.  Especially those with higher risks, because they may need to avoid more public contact during flu season or be quick to go to the doctor if they suspect the flu.