County health officials warn of influenza spread

Published 12:41 pm Tuesday, January 20, 2015

With widespread flu activity increasing nationwide in 43 states — including Washington — Clallam County health officials are warning residents to be aware of and protect themselves against the spread of influenza.

According to Clallam County Health Officer Tom Locke, three types of influenza are circulating: two forms of Influenza A (known as H3N2 and H1N1) and one type of Influenza B. Most of the influenza virus that is being detected is of the H3N2 variety – a virus that first crossed over from birds to humans in 1968, causing what became known as the “Hong Kong Flu,” Locke said.

The H3N2 influenza virus tends to cause more severe illness, resulting in more hospitalizations, complications, and, in the worst case, deaths, Locke noted. In a typical flu season, tens of thousands of Americans die of influenza.

Clallam County Health and Human Services strongly recommends the following strategies for dealing with this year’s seasonal influenza outbreak:

• Vaccination is the best preventative strategy. Flu vaccine is plentiful and it’s never too late to vaccinate. The vaccine takes 1-2 weeks to provide its maximum protection.

• The collection of behaviors known as “Respiratory Hygiene” are simple and effective ways to avoid spreading or catching influenza.

They include frequent hand-washing and/or use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, especially before eating or touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

Cover your cough by coughing into your sleeve or disposable tissue paper – this traps infectious secretions and prevents spread of the virus.

Stay home from work or school if you are sick. Although influenza can be spread before symptoms develop, people are most contagious when they have a fever and are acutely ill. Staying home from work and keeping children out of school will help you recover faster and protect co-workers or fellow students from infection.

For people at high risk of influenza complications (or their caretakers) use of antiviral medications (Tamiflu and Relenza) can be of benefit.

For maximum benefit, they must be started with 48 hours of onset of symptoms.

Outlook

“Influenza will likely continue to spread in our community for six to eight weeks,” Locke said in a county health department press release.

Hospitalizations will increase, he said, potentially limiting the ability of hospitals to provide elective surgeries and non-emergency care. Community members at greatest risk of influenza complications are the very young, the elderly, pregnant women and those with chronic heart, lung or metabolic conditions.

People whose immune systems are impaired by medications, cancer or other diseases also are at a much increased risk of developing more severe influenza infections.

“The more healthy people who get vaccinated for influenza, the less likely these vulnerable members of our community are to be exposed to what can be a life-threatening infection,” Locke said.