Published November 17, 2022
Before the peak of flu season, it's important to protect yourself by getting a flu shot. The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat and sometimes the lungs. In Connecticut, flu cases start to appear as early as October and continue through March or April.
Older people, young children, pregnant people and those with certain chronic conditions such as asthma, heart disease, obesity or diabetes are at increased risk for complications.
Common flu symptoms include:
COVID-19 symptoms can also include fever, cough and aches, while some people can also get diarrhea and vomiting.
“What we’re worried about specifically is as we start to see not only the flu, but other respiratory infections coming in to our community, it will be very difficult for clinicians to differentiate between those who have COVID and those who have the flu,” said Richard Martinello, MD, Medical Director of Infection Prevention.
If you suspect you have any symptoms related to the flu or COVID-19, you should contact your clinician. There are medications available to treat the flu and COVID-19.
Dr. Martinello says the best way to protect yourself from the flu is to get your yearly flu shot. It’s safe and recommended for everyone 6 months or older, including pregnant people, unless you’re known to have a severe allergy to the flu shot. For patients 65 and older, a high dose or adjuvant flu vaccine is recommended.
Recently the FDA approved the use of an at-home flu vaccine that is administered through a nasal spray. The flu mist was available in years past but was removed from the market due to concerns about efficacy. Recent data shows that this updated version is efficacious in those between the ages of 2 and 49.
“As long as people are within the approved age range and do not have any contraindications, I think this may be a convenient option for some patients who don’t like to receive injections,” said Dayna McManus, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP Pharmacy Manager for Infectious Disease & Solid Organ Transplant at Yale New Haven Hospital. “This may also be a good option for folks that have trouble getting to a doctor’s office or pharmacy to get the vaccine and just want to have it in the convenience of their home.”
McManus says the spray is different from the traditional flu shot in that it does contain live virus. Therefore, it may not be a good option for patients who are immunocompromised or who live with people who are immunocompromised.
The at-home flu vaccine is not currently available, and it is expected to hit the market by the next flu season. For this year, McManus recommends everyone who is eligible to get their flu shot now as we start to enter the season where we see flu.
“Even if you are someone who is young and healthy, being vaccinated helps prevent spreading the flu to others who may be at high risk, whether those are people you interact with on a daily basis in your home or in your workplace,” she said. “Sometimes people feel they don’t need a flu shot, but it actually helps protect others from having severe complications as well.”
The flu vaccine will be available at all Northeast Medical Group primary care practices and patients can contact their clinician’s office to schedule their flu vaccine.
