Australia’s season just ended, causing 300 deaths and around 1,700 hospitalizations. For this reason, doctors within the U.S. are fearful a few tougher flu season within the country this fall.
For Kencee Graves, an associate professor of internal medicine and chief medical officer for inpatient health on the University of Utah Health, there’s much to be learned from what happened in Australia recently, KSL.com reported.
The Down Under witnessed a big increase on this 12 months’s flu season for the reason that country didn’t record influenza deaths and only saw a handful of hospitalizations within the previous 12 months. Given the fivefold increase in serious cases and deaths in Australia, it’s not hard to assume what may very well be coming for the U.S. this flu season.
“That’s what makes us within the U.S. somewhat concerned about how severe this flu season may very well be,” Graves said.
Doctors recommend getting the updated flu vaccines in September or October, before Halloween, for the reason that flu season begins in October and lasts until March.
Apart from the necessity to get updated flu vaccines, the country should proceed its efforts to contain COVID-19. Though the pandemic isn’t any longer at the identical level it was a 12 months or two ago, the virus continues to be a cause for concern in lots of places.
Last 12 months, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued its guidance, saying that the administration of the flu and other vaccines together with the COVID-19 jabs may very well be done “without regard or timing.” This meant simultaneous meting out of the 2 vaccines within the human body was allowed.
Graves reiterated the identical thing for this 12 months’s flu season, saying it’s OK to get the flu vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine at the identical time. Nevertheless, those that had a severe vaccine response prior to now are advised to get the flu and COVID-19 vaccines at different times.
Dr. Hannah Imlay, an assistant professor of internal medicine within the Division of Infectious Diseases on the University of Utah Health, said it’s also necessary to get the updated boosters for the reason that previous ones were for the unique strain of SARS-CoV-2.
To ascertain for booster vaccine availability in your area, visit vaccines.gov/search/.