With the number of flu cases being reported rising into epidemic levels, the decision by Governor Andrew Cuomo to declare a state of Public Health Emergency has led to heightened concerns over the seriousness of the strain as well as the availability of the flu shot to deal with it.
The proportion of cases reported has already risen to five times the number of cases in the last outbreak.
Statistics from the Department of Health from January 12 are already showing 4,373 new cases reported with the number of total flu cases last year having been 4,404.
One big change in procedure that came along with the declaration was in the rules for administering the shot itself. Cuomo issued an Executive Order to allow pharmacists to administer flu vaccinations to anyone between the age of six months and 18 years-old. Normally vaccinations for children can only be administered by a doctor under State Education Law. As part of the order, cuomo suspended that regulation for 30 days.
Local pharmacist Frank Pantina, who owns and operates Cross Bay Chemist in Howard Beach and in Ozone Park, says that the number of flu cases being reported indicates that not enough people are getting the vaccine.
Pantina says that for the most part he has been dispensing a large quantity of Tamiflu, an anti-viral that won’t stop or cure the flu, just decrease the duration of the normal course of the bug.
At the moment he has a supply of the flu shot and is able to supply the shot for patients. “We’ve been getting requests for the shot and we can answer the demand now.” But he says in recent weeks there have been legitimate concerns over a shortage due to the lost of so many doses during the storm.
According to Pantina, a large portion of the vaccinee were lost in power outages as a result of the storm..
Area physicians, like Dr. Alvin Herschfeld, also lost their supplies as a result of flood waters at their offices.
Each year, flu vaccinations are altered to compensate for the biological changes that make the “little devils” stronger each time they re-create themselves. Despite the fact that the current flu strain appears a very formidable opponent the 2012-2013 flu vaccination protects against three different flu viruses, the H3N2 virus, Influenza B virus and the H1N1 virus.
Heath officials and experts say that the viruses are so unpredictable there is no way to measure the strength potential of an individual strain until it presents itself.
Officials also advise that you check with your local pharmacy to see if they have shots in stock and a pharmacist permitted to give the injection.
Pantina also made a point to say that despite the de-regulation of age restrictions on administering the vaccine, his pharmacies choose not administer the vaccine to children younger than 4-years-of-age.
The Flu: A Guide for Parents
FLU FACTS
What is the flu?
Influenza (the flu) is an infection of the nose, throat, and lungs caused by influenza viruses. There are many different influenza viruses that are constantly changing. They cause illness, hospital stays and deaths in the United States each year.
The flu can be very dangerous for children. Each year about 20,000 children younger than 5 years old are hospitalized from flu complications, like pneumonia.
IF YOUR CHILD IS SICK
Talk to your doctor early if you are worried about your child’s illness. If your child is 5 years and older and does not have other health problems and gets flu-like symptoms, including a fever and/or cough, consult your doctor as needed and make sure your child gets plenty of rest and drinks enough fluids.
If your child is younger than 5 years (and especially younger than 2 years) or of any age with a long term health condition (like asthma, a neurological condition, or diabetes, for example) and develops flu-like symptoms, they are at risk for serious complications from the flu. Ask a doctor if your child should be examined.
PROTECT YOUR CHILD
How can I protect my child against the flu?
To protect against the flu, the first and most important thing you can do is to get a flu vaccine for yourself and your child.
• Vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
• It’s especially important that young children and children with long term health conditions get vaccinated. (See list of conditions under “How Serious is the Flu?”)
• Caregivers of children with health conditions or of children younger than 6 months old should get vaccinated. (Babies younger than 6 months are too young to be vaccinated themselves.)
• Another way to protect babies is to vaccinate pregnant women because research shows that this gives some protection to the baby both while the woman is pregnant and for a few months after the baby is born.
How serious is the flu?
Flu illness can vary from mild to severe. While the flu can be serious even in people who are otherwise healthy, it can be especially dangerous for young children and children of any age who have certain long term health conditions, including asthma (even mild or controlled), neurological and neuro-developmental.
By Patricia Adams
