Flu shot may be less effective this year because current virus has mutated

[LinksEtc]

"CDC: Flu shot less effective this year because current virus has mutated"
http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/04/health/flu-vaccine-mutated-virus/index.html?hpt=he_c1

While this year's version is not as protective against a mutated strain, it can still decrease the severity of illness caused by the virus. It can also protect against other circulating strains of the virus, which is why the CDC still recommends getting the vaccine.

if you do start to see flu symptoms -- fever, sore throat, cough, body aches -- it's extremely important to begin taking antiviral medications as soon as possible.

[CMdeux]

   Not good news for those of us with asthmatic children, especially.

Thanks for posting it, Links-- I was just coming to do that very thing.

[PurpleCat]

They always seem to say something like this every year.  The flu shot is never a guarantee.  It's a best guess at what kind of virus will be around the next flu season because they have to start making is many months ahead.


Here's the CDC page about it.

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/virusqa.htm 

[2ndGenAllergyMom]

I know this is an old post, but I wanted to share.  Hospitalized for the flu:

3 hours in ER, adult dose of ephinephrine, 7 doses of albuterol, constant oxygen
2 nights in PICU, constant nebs and oxygen for first night and part of second day, steroids, Tamiflu, slowly weaned off over following 24 hours

And he'd gotten a flu shot. In fact, since he's egg allergic, he's always gotten his flu shot at the allergist's office.  This year for the first time, he had a reaction to the egg protein in the shot, getting a welt the size of a softball about 24 hours post-shot.  Since his reaction wasn't systemic, the allergist said they would probably continue to give him the shot, but they would spread it out between both legs.  I wasn't sure what I thought about that suggestion, but after this year's experience, I'd rather deal with some itchy redness for a day than go through this again.  Unless he becomes anaphylactic to the shot, we'll keep getting it.

Btw, he got home yesterday and is doing much better now!  (And no, he doesn't have asthma.  His younger brother does (who thankfully still shows not signs of flu) but his lungs have always been healthy.)

[CMdeux]

Oh, this is SO scary.  I'm so glad that your son is okay now.

One of our community lost a child to the H1N1 pandemic several years ago.  They have become tireless advocates for seasonal influenza vaccinations.     

The nice thing about getting annual vaccinations year upon year is that there is a "library" of immune responses to different strains.  I'm hoping that offers our DD some protection, as her egg allergy has prevented her from being vaccinated up until 3 years ago-- so she's only had those 3 vaccinations, and she gets so ill from anything upper respiratory.   DH and I have both been getting them for 20 years.

[momma2boys]

So glad he is ok!

[SilverLining]

So glad he's OK.

[2ndGenAllergyMom]

I obviously knew he needed help or I wouldn't have gone to the ER, but what really scared me was the speed with which they moved the moment they saw him.  "Holy $#!#, it's that bad?"  And then again a few minutes later in his room, when one of the nurses said "He needs Epi."  Being a food allergy family, I knew exactly what that meant.  Same feelings all over again.

I'm very glad it's over.

Thanks for all your support

[GoingNuts]

Ay yi yi, glad he's OK now!

If my 24-year-old-first-year-of-teaching-knows-it-all-son doesn't get his flu shot today, I'm going to wring his neck. 

Seriously, I don't know what I'm going to do with him.   

[Macabre]

Oh my goodness--that is so scary. I'm glad he's okay.

So my mom was prescribed Tamiflu by her doctor.  She got a flu shot, but of course, that may not help.  The nurse said Tamiflu can act as a preventive. But for how long. If she takes it now, if she is exposed to the flu in February, will it protect her?

[catelyn]

Oh my goodness--that is so scary. I'm glad he's okay.

So my mom was prescribed Tamiflu by her doctor.  She got a flu shot, but of course, that may not help.  The nurse said Tamiflu can act as a preventive. But for how long. If she takes it now, if she is exposed to the flu in February, will it protect her?

no - you would have to take in continually which is not a reasonable option.

[2ndGenAllergyMom]

So my mom was prescribed Tamiflu by her doctor.  She got a flu shot, but of course, that may not help.  The nurse said Tamiflu can act as a preventive. But for how long. If she takes it now, if she is exposed to the flu in February, will it protect her?

I kind of wondered that, but figured not.  Our youngest (with asthma) is on Tamiflu preventatively right now, which should give us enough time for the germs to exit the house, but he'll still be vulnerable if exposed elsewhere later.  *sigh*

[LinksEtc]

This is not medical advice ... ask your own docs if you have ?s .... but interesting ....

-------------------------------


Tweeted by @ivanoransky

"Questioning Medicine: Why Is Tamiflu Still Around?"
http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/URItheFlu/49062

Tamiflu doesn't help, so why are docs still prescribing it?

[hedgehog]

I used tamiflu once, several years ago.  It seemed to help.  I mean, I felt better sooner than expected.  Did it work, or was it a placebo effect?  Or a milder flu? Who knows.  I had assumed it was the drug, but maybe not.

[SilverLining]

"CDC: Flu shot less effective this year because current virus has mutated"

I'm not trying to sound like an idiot, but didn't we discuss elsewhere that illnesses don't mutate that quickly?  (Ebola) so how does the flu mutate that much in just a few months?

I always thought the issue with the flu shot was that there are multiple flus floating around and they guess which ones are likely to be most common. And sometimes they guess wrong.