Hawai'i doctors get 5,000 doses of nasal flu spray
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Health Writer
Healthy people who didn't get a flu shot can try the new and more expensive nasal flu spray at reduced cost because the state Health Department will distribute 5,000 doses of the spray free to local doctors.
State deputy health director Dr. Linda Rosen yesterday said the nasal vaccine can be given to healthy people between the ages of 5 and 49, but should not be considered an option for people at higher risk for developing complications from the flu. The high-risk group includes the very young, the very old and people with chronic diseases.
Rosen said doctors will get the vaccine for free but will be allowed to charge patients an administrative fee for the vaccine.
Many people have already been vaccinated but Rosen said those older and younger or at high risk for flu should still get a flu shot. A limited supply of vaccine for traditional flu shots is still available to those at higher risk through the Health Department.
The flu is being taken more seriously this year because the season got going earlier than normal and has been linked to the deaths of 42 children on the Mainland as of last week.
In Hawai'i, there has been a recent increase in the number of cases of flu and influenza-like illnesses reported by doctors' offices, according to the Health Department's disease investigation branch. From Dec. 14 to 27, the disease trackers have seen the percentage of people reporting related illnesses rise to 10 percent of the patients seen by local doctors. By comparison, during the week of Dec. 7 only 5.9 percent of patients fell into the likely flu category.
That 10 percent is close to the peak of a typical flu season and there have been no signs that this year's illness is more severe than previous years.
"We are seeing more flu cases, but that's to be expected," Rosen said. "We're not seeing significant increases in emergency room visits, hospital admissions or deaths."
State officials said the nasal vaccine will be given to doctors who request it, in the order in which it is received.
Some healthy people who did not get the vaccine may want to try the new nasal spray because the flu season in Hawai'i usually peaks after the holidays.
"There's a good chance that we haven't seen the peak yet," Rosen said. "If you want to reduce your risk of severe disease, it's worth getting."
She said children between the ages of 5 and 9 who received only one of two recommended doses of the vaccine also could receive the FluMist as the second dose. Rosen said she was aware of some families who received the first dose for children under age 9 but then found no more vaccine available when they returned for a second shot.
The new nasal vaccine has been available through doctor's offices but earlier was not covered by most medical insurance and would therefore cost patients about $60, compared with the shot that was widely available this fall for $20 or even for free.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified the flu as a likely epidemic this year and is asking local health authorities to report deaths of children from the disease.
The CDC recommends that the flu-shot vaccine that is remaining be given as a priority to those in high-risk groups: those 65 and older; infants ages 6 months to 23 months; people who suffer from chronic illnesses, including diabetes, asthma and heart disease; and pregnant women after their first trimester.
For more information on Hawai'i flu facts, visit www.vaxhawaii.com.
Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2429.
