FRANKFORT, Ky. (November 19, 2003) – Kentucky’s flu season is underway, with the state Public Health Laboratory confirming the first two positive influenza cultures yesterday. Last year, the first flu case wasn’t confirmed until late January.

The Department for Public Health reported the results to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has warned that the flu season may be more severe this year due to the early circulation of a group of influenza viruses that has in previous years caused a lot of people to become ill and to develop complications. The disease kills an average of 36,000 Americans every year.

Public Health Commissioner Dr. Rice Leach urges physicians, hospitals, public health departments, and others sponsoring influenza immunizations to make a special effort to see that Kentucky’s senior citizens and other persons at high risk of complication from influenza get protected against flu.  He is also encouraging flu shots for Kentuckians 50 and over and children who are 6 months through age 23 months.

“It’s not too late to get a flu shot to protect yourself and your family from getting sick this year,” Dr. Leach said. “It takes about two weeks to develop maximum protection after a flu shot, so we urge people not to delay. The vaccine is safe and effective, and because the vaccine is made with killed virus it will not give you the flu."

An annual flu shot is recommended for the following groups of people who are at increased risk for serious complications from the flu:

• persons 50 years old and older;
• residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities that house persons of any age who have long-term illnesses;
• adults and children over 6 months of age who have chronic heart or lung conditions, including asthma;
• adults and children over 6 months of age who need regular medical care or had to be in a hospital because of metabolic diseases (like diabetes), chronic kidney disease, or weakened immune system (including immune system problems caused by medicine or by infection with human immunodeficiency virus [HIV/AIDS]);
• children and teenagers (aged 6 months to 18 years) who are on long-term aspirin therapy and therefore could develop Reye Syndrome after the flu;
• women who will be more than 3 months pregnant during the flu season; and
• health-care personnel, and care givers and household contacts of those who are high risk.
• Because young, otherwise healthy children are at increased risk for influenza-related hospitalization, influenza vaccination of healthy children aged 6-23 months is encouraged when feasible.

Those in the high-risk categories should ask their health care provider about getting a flu shot soon.

            The shots can be given to most people, except those with severe allergy to eggs, those who have had a severe reaction to a flu shot in the past and people who previously developed Guillain-Barre syndrome.  Anyone with a short-term illness with fever should wait to get the shot until they feel well.

Those who are age 65 or older or at risk due to medical conditions should also be vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia if they have not been vaccinated. This shot is usually given just once.

Anyone can get the flu - even healthy people. Serious problems from flu can happen at any age.

People 50 years old and older, people of any age with chronic medical conditions, and very young children are more likely to get complications from flu. Pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus and ear infections are three examples of complications from flu.

            Influenza immunizations are available through many health care providers, including private physicians and local health departments. Kentuckians who plan to get immunized at a health department should call ahead or check their local community events calendar.  Most health departments charge on a sliding fee scale.  Medicare covers the cost of flu shots, which will help older Kentuckians.

            For more information, call your local health department or the State Communicable Disease Branch in the Division of Epidemiology and Health Planning at (502) 564-3418 or the immunization section at 502-564-4478.

For more information about the flu, see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/flu/fluvirus.htm, which will also be keeping a weekly map of flu activity reported across the nation at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/flu/weekly.htm.

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