After a record-setting flu season last year, public health officials say it is difficult to know if a similar season is approaching.
While there are some indicators public health officials are watching, it is hard to predict what strain of flu might dominate and how severe the season might be, said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, the state’s communicable disease epidemiologist.
A strain of influenza A, known as H3N2, was responsible for the severity of the last flu season that sent a record 4,650 Coloradans to the hospital. The state started collecting comparable flu data in the 2004-05 season.
In La Plata County, 10 people were hospitalized, and in Montezuma County, 20 people were hospitalized during the season.
The H3N2 strain tends to send more older adults to the hospital, and often, flu vaccines are not as effective against it, Herlihy said.
Public health officials track the spread of flu in the Southern Hemisphere and early onset cases across the U.S. to help predict the severity of the flu season. A strain of influenza A, H1N1, that tends to be associated with less severe flu seasons seems to be more prevalent right now in those areas, but that is not a guaranteed indicator of what virus will dominate in Colorado, Herlihy said.
“It’s really early and so difficult to know at this point which virus is going to predominate,” she said.
The state health department encourages residents older than 6 months to get vaccinated before the end of October.
“Our biggest concern is that people will receive the vaccine too late and not be fully protected by the time influenza arrives in Colorado,” Herlihy said.
San Juan Basin Public Health has a limited supply of specialized flu vaccine, including high-dose flu shots for seniors and a preservative-free vaccine for pregnant women, according to a news release.
The agency can also provide flu shots for children and adults who qualify for federally supported vaccines if they are unable to receive them from their primary care provider.
However, many residents can receive immunization from their primary care doctor for free, according to a news release.
To schedule an appointment at the health department’s Durango office, call 247-5702, or for an appointment at the health department’s Pagosa Springs office, call 264-2409.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
