In case you hadn’t heard, last week was National Influenza Vaccination Week and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services encourages residents to get their flu shot. There is currently an adequate supply of vaccines available at many locations from doctors’ offices to drugstores to health departments, according to the MDHHS. There are mixed reports as to the level of “match” of this year’s vaccine with the actual circulating strain. The St. Clair County Health Department notes on their website that, “Even when circulating flu strains aren’t a perfect match, flu vaccination still provides protection and can help to decrease hospitalizations and doctor visits.” The MDHHS bulletin reminds us that influenza, or “the flu”, is not a stomach virus, a common misnomer, but it is actually a contagious respiratory infection. Common symptoms are body aches, chills, and respiratory congestion. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, “The 2019-2020 flu season is underway for most of the country; however, some parts of the country are still seeing lower levels of flu activity. Activity is being caused mostly by influenza B/Victoria viruses, which is unusual for this time of year. H1N1 viruses are the next most common, followed by H3N2 viruses, which are decreasing in proportion.” Whether or not you get a flu shot, the Health Department still recommends proper hand washing, limiting contact with sick people, and of course, staying home when you are sick.
