Contact:
Sue Denny
Section for Communicable Disease Prevention
573-751-6439

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Releases Information on Flu Incidence, Advises Common Sense to Protect Your Health

“Missouri is experiencing an early flu season that may be severe,” according to Dick Dunn, director, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). “Anyone who is at high risk of complications for influenza should get the vaccine at the first opportunity. Many public and private health care providers have run out of vaccine or expect to run out in the next few days,” said Dunn.

Missouri has reports of 2,087 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza from October 1 to December 6 - 1,017 of which were reported during the last week of that period. There were 19 cases during the same time last year. “That is the earliest we have seen large numbers of cases this early in the season since before 1992,” said Dunn. The first confirmed case of influenza of the 2003-2004 season was reported on October 27. “During the 2002-2003 season, we didn’t see the first case until December 31.” The disease is already widespread in many states.

While the flu vaccine is the best protection from catching the flu, people who do not have access to the vaccine can still protect their health with a few common-sense practices:

• Wash your hands often with soap and hot water.
• Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.
• Eat sensibly.
• Get enough rest.
• Stay at home when you are ill with flu symptoms.

People at high risk for complications should also contact their physicians to see if they need a pneumococcal vaccine, which can be given at the same time as the flu shot. Pneumococcal pneumonia is a frequent complication of influenza for high-risk people. Generally, a one-time shot is all that is needed for protection in otherwise healthy people.

On December 11, 2003, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new recommendations and priorities regarding who should receive influenza vaccine at this time.

• Injectable vaccine should be targeted for persons at high risk for complications from influenza: healthy children aged 6-23 months, adults over age 65, pregnant women in their second or third trimester during influenza season, and persons over two years of age with underlying chronic conditions.
• Persons at high risk should search locally for vaccine if their usual health-care provider no longer has vaccine available.
• All children at high risk, including those aged 6-23 months, who report for vaccination should be vaccinated with a first or second dose, depending on vaccination status. Doses should not be held in reserve to ensure that two doses will be available.
• Next priority should be given to vaccinating those persons at greatest risk for transmission of disease to persons at high risk, including household contacts and health-care workers.
• Healthy persons 5-49 years of age should be encouraged to be vaccinated with intranasally administered live, attenuated influenza vaccine, or FluMist.
• Decisions about vaccinating healthy persons, including adults aged 50-64 years, with inactivated influenza vaccine should be made on a case-by-case basis, depending on local disease activity, vaccine coverage, feasibility, and supply.

People should contact their physicians, their local health departments, or urgent care centers in their localities to determine where they may still get their flu shots. Medicare Part B covers flu shots, as do many health insurance plans. People usually develop immunity to the disease about two weeks after receiving the immunization.

For more information contact your physician or your local health department.