Flu threat averted?

The CDC released a new statement today concerning the outbreak:
“CDC expects that more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths from this outbreak will occur over the coming days and weeks.” According to the CDC there are now 1639 confirmed cases in the United States.

The CDC has confirmed that the virus is now in the community-at-large. What does this mean for you? Since we know it’s here there is no need to continue confirming new cases. The CDC will, however, continue to monitor the area through its surveillance program and will watch for any signs of mutation in the virus. At this point physicians and other health care providers have been educated on the current treatment of the virus and should proceed with the appropriate protocol to match the symptoms displayed.

While it looks like the predictions of deadly flu disease may not have developed as once thought, it is still important to be responsible with your daily health decisions. I know you have heard this a million times since kindergarten but washing your hands regularly will, in fact, prevent many infections from ever even getting a chance to enter your body. Limit your contact with those that you know are sick. Whether it be the flu, a cold, or strep throat keeping your distance will greatly decrease your chances of contracting the illness.

How can you prepare? Health officials have confirmed that a vaccine is currently being developed to combat further swine flu infections when the flu season rolls around again. As with any vaccine the earlier to you get it the more time your body has to build up the needed immunological responses to fight the virus when you actually encounter the pathogen. The typical flu vaccine should be administered 4-6 weeks before expected exposure. At Moye’s we usually begin administering the flu vaccine in late August or early September. It is also important to note that those with chronic medical conditions should get the flu shot as early as possible since these people are at the greatest risk for developing complications from flu related illness.

Will the Swine Flu return and will it be worse than before? Health officials the world over are debating this very issue as we speak. The general consensus seems to be that it is likely that this strain of the flu virus will reemerge in the future. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention will be conducting many epidemiological studies to better understand how this virus was first contracted by humans and subsequently spread through out the globe. While we can never predict every new outbreak, we can be as prepared as possible when one occurs. To this end Moye’s is working closely with the county and regional Health Departments as well as the local medical community. We believe that your health is priority number one and we are continually striving to help you make better healthcare decisions. If you would like more information or simply have questions please post a comment to this blog and one of our knowledgeable pharmacists will make every effort to accommodate your inquiry.