Many remember the H1N1 flu, commonly referred to as “Swine Flu” of 2009, that caused a public panic over a possible epidemic. The flu does not receive such attention every year because fewer cases have been reported in the last few years. However, should people be more concerned with the possibility of future strains of the flu that are as severe as Swine Flu?
The 2012-2013 influenza season has moved past its tenth week. The CDC released data that said that in this past season approximately 14.3% of the US populace test positive for a strain of influenza (based on a testing of 5,747 specimens). However, this is a low percentage compared to the peak of the influenza season back in the second week of January, 2013, when the percentage of people with influenza approached 40%. However, the flu still remains widespread in states like New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
Vaccination this year proved to be 56% effective in protecting most children and adults from common strains of influenza. It was only 47% effective in protecting people from the main strain this year, H3N2. Although not as severe as the 2009 H1N1 strain, commonly referred to as “swine flu,” this year’s strain was much more severe then last year’s influenza. This is most clearly demonstrated by this year’s flu shot’s being only 9% effective in protecting elderly people above the age of 65. 146 elderly people out of 100,000 were hospitalized this year due to influenza viruses, the most apparent being the H3N2 virus. This is a large increase compared to last year when that number was only 30 out of 100,000. The CDC report gave a possible explanation that people above the age of 65 did not mount a strong enough immune response to the H3N2 component of this year’s vaccine. The CDC reported, however, that they are not certain about this possible explanation.
Regardless, one must ask how can we increase protection against influenza every year. No one is exempt from the flu, and without yearly vaccinations everyone is susceptible to the illness. Vaccinations have been around ever since the 18th century. They have proven effective in eradicating infectious diseases like polio and small pox from most developed countries, but in the battle against influenza, vaccines don’t always prove to be entirely efficacious on their own. The influenza virus is constantly mutating into different strains and a yearly vaccine can only inoculate a person against known strains. Should a new strain appear mid-Winter, then there would be very limited protection against the virus and many would fall ill. Well-known cases of these strains include the Spanish Influenza in 1918 and, more recently, the H1N1 strain of 2009. Both cases resulted in many deaths and in public distress over possible pandemics.
Vaccines cannot and should not be relied on as the sole deterrent of the flu. Good hygiene and limited contact with people who are ill should be emphasized along with yearly vaccinations of everyone older than six months. It is also important that health care officials and researchers alike look into alternative methods of treating and preventing the spread of influenza, one that is more than 50% effective.