Public Health: Vaccinations should remain at forefront as flu season approaches

ALBANY — Clusters of seasonal flu are already being reported in the Southwest Public Health District, and the area’s top Public Health official is recommending that residents get vaccinated early against the virus.

At the same time, officials are also reminding citizens about how vital immunizations are in general.

“We are seeing cases of flu primarily in children at this time,” Health District Director Dr. Charles Ruis said last week. “But seasonal flu is unpredictable. Experts cannot forecast from year to year which population will be most affected by the virus or when it is most likely to circulate.”

Ruis said the flu typically appears in Southwest Georgia when the weather grows cooler.

“Seeing clusters of flu now is a little unusual, but, as I said, flu is unpredictable,” Ruis stressed. “One thing we can say is that flu season tends to peak between December and March.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months old and older get vaccinated against flu. Flu symptoms can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, fatigue and, in some instances, upset stomach.

For young children, older adults, those with chronic health conditions such as heart disease or asthma – and even for some healthy people – flu can cause serious complications that may lead to hospitalization or even death, officials said.

Ruis said it is also important for those who care for anyone at high risk to get inoculated, including babies younger than 6 months who are too young to get the vaccine.

“Getting the flu vaccine is simple, and it’s the most important thing you can do to protect yourself and your family from the flu,” Ruis said. “At your county health department, flu shots are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, PeachState, WellCare, Amerigroup, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Aetna, Cigna and Coventry.”

He said the flu vaccine is available at county health departments, pharmacies and other health care providers.

The push comes during National Immunization Awareness Month, so officials are also reminding area residents that vaccines protect communities as well as children.

“Vaccines are among the most successful and cost-effective public health tools available for preventing disease and death,” Rebecca Snow, the health district’s immunization coordinator, said. “Vaccines not only help protect our children, but can also help protect entire communities by preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases.

“August is a great time of year to engage the community regarding vaccinations. It is a perfect time to make vaccination a priority in our communities.”

Vaccines are available to protect adults and children against potentially life-threatening diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, meningococcal disease, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, shingles, measles, mumps, rubella and varicella, or chickenpox. The CDC recommends the flu shot each season for individuals 6 months old and older.

“Some people — like very young infants or people allergic to vaccines — cannot be vaccinated,” Snow said. “However, they benefit if the remainder of their community is vaccinated so the disease isn’t transmitted to those who are unvaccinated.”

Recently, there have been several mumps outbreaks on college and university campuses across the United States, including Georgia. Officials said parents of college students should make sure their sons and daughters are up to date with immunizations to protect them against mumps, and that they should also be current on other appropriate vaccines.

Some schools, colleges and universities have policies requiring vaccination against meningococcal disease as a condition of enrollment. Students ages 21 years or younger should have documentation of receipt of a dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine not more than five years before enrollment.

Officials said that if the primary dose was administered before a person’s 16th birthday, a booster dose should be administered before enrollment in college.

“Talk to your health care provider or visit your public health department and get vaccinated today,” Snow said.

More information is available about immunization at http://dph.georgia.gov/immunization-section or visit www.cdc.gov.