honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, February 9, 2005

More shots become available as flu activity rises in Islands

By Mike Gordon
Advertiser Staff Writer

Just as the fever seems to be rising slightly on Hawai'i's flu season, a new supply of the vaccine means 130,000 more adults can get shots, state health officials said yesterday.

Who can now get flu shots

• Adults ages 50 to 64.

• People who come in close contact with "high-risk groups." That includes staff at infant and adult daycare centers; and household members who care for adults 65 and older, people with a chronic illness or children under age 2.

Who could previously get flu shots:

• People 65 and older.

• Children 6 months to 23 months.

• People with a chronic illness.

• Pregnant women.

To get a shot, contact your doctor.


Fending off the flu

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

• Shore up your immune system by getting lots of rest, eating healthy and limiting alcohol intake.

If you get it

• Flu symptoms are fever, body aches and feelings of exhaustion; colds come with coughing, runny nose and other milder symptoms.

• Stay home from work if you're sick; you'll protect others and feel better faster.

• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.

For more information, call the Department of Health at 586-8300 on O'ahu or (800) 933-4832 from a Neighbor Island or visit www.hawaii.gov/health.

Source: State Health Department

The extra vaccine was made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention late last month, and state health officials loosened their guidelines on who could get vaccinated.

"There's still time for those most at risk to get their flu shot," said Dr. Chiyome Fukino, state health director. "Flu activity in Hawai'i is currently increasing and may not have reached its peak."

Meanwhile, a state survey of selected doctors offices shows that the number of cases has been on the rise since late December, compared with cases last year, officials said. The state's influenza season usually peaks in January.

The current flu season has been a difficult time for patients and their doctors. A national shortage of vaccine announced in October sent demand for shots soaring. Since then, however, the urgency has dropped off slightly.

In view of the extra supply, the state said shots now are available for adults ages 50 to 64 years old and people who come in close contact with "high-risk groups." Those groups include the staff at infant and adult daycare centers, household members who care for adults 65 and older, people with a chronic illness and children under the age of two.

These are in addition to people 65 and older, children 6 months to 23 months, people with a chronic illness and pregnant women.

The state does not track the exact number of people sick from the flu. Instead, the Health Department relies on 25 "sentinel physicians" statewide to help survey the number of people who are sick, said Judy Strait-Jones, a public health educator with the department.

Last season, the sentinels reported that about 8 percent to 9.5 percent of their patients suffered from influenza-like symptoms between late December 2003 and the end of January 2004, Strait-Jones said.

But by mid-February 2004, that had dropped to 2 percent. This season, that percentage has risen to about 6 percent.

"It has had some peaks and valleys, but our flu season so far has been a mild flu season — thank goodness — even though our cases are increasing," Strait-Jones said.

Officials aren't sure if cases have peaked this year and added that, in Hawai'i, people do get sick from the flu during the summer. Last year, there was a spike in cases in May.

"We don't know what the peak is," Strait-Jones said. "We won't know until we get there."

As of late last year, the Health Department had given out about 13,000 free doses of the flu vaccine. Private physicians, who were urged yesterday to order more vaccine, had received about 240,000 doses.

"We encourage physicians statewide to continue efforts to vaccinate their patients in priority groups and order additional vaccine if needed," Fukino said.

Physicians can call the CDC at (800) VACCINE to order additional doses. Strait-Jones said it takes about two days for a delivery of vaccine to arrive.

Reach Mike Gordon at mgordon@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8012.