Flu season is here, and experts recommend vaccination

For the Enquirer

Ninety-two-year-old Owen Etheredge happily gets a flu shot every year at the Morgan County Health Department drive-thru flu vaccine clinic.

“So far, so good. I’ve never had the flu yet,” he said as he pulled away from the clinic, held Thursday. The COVID-19 vaccine was also available with a short wait.

Cindy Anderson, who lives in Danville but works in Decatur, said she always gets her annual flu vaccine, but not primarily for herself.

“My niece has cystic fibrosis, and anyone that is ever around her is supposed to be vaccinated against the flu,” she said. “It’s a preventive measure because (the flu) really could affect her negatively.” Vaccine seekers were out strong the first hour of the clinic, with more than 25 showing up between 9 and 10 a.m., a nurse said.

It’s early in Alabama’s flu season, and that’s just the way Dr. Wes Stubblefield with the Alabama Department of Public Health likes it. It gives everyone time to get their flu shot before the onslaught of flu season and its peak in January, he said.

Now is the time to get vaccines for influenza, COVID-19 and RSV, if needed, he said, because later can be too late. Flu vaccination has been shown to have many benefits, including reducing the risk of related illnesses, hospitalizations and even death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“All of our public health districts are currently reporting low levels of influenza-like activity, and that’s the case throughout the United States,” said Stubblefield, medical officer with the ADPH. “So, we really haven’t seen any major increases in flu activity so far.” He said it’s not yet clear how effective this year’s version of the flu vaccine will be.

“We won’t know for the U.S. until well into the flu season how well matched the flu vaccine is to the strain that circulates, though there is some data available now from South America,” Stubblefield said. “We use South America because their flu seasons are opposite of ours and their flu shots are the same as ours for the season. The number that has been quoted is that it was around 33 to 35% effective in preventing hospitalizations from the flu in highrisk individuals, like young children and older adults and those with chronic medical conditions. “If I were in one of those groups, I would definitely think that a 33 to 35% less chance of going to the hospital would be very good. It is 35% effective in you not going to the hospital; to me that is significant.” He said officials are still trying to figure out how significant COVID will be this season. “What we have started to see over the last few years is there is a late summer wave, which we did see this year, which has started to go down,” Stubblefield said. “And there is usually a wintertime peak, and we haven’t seen that yet. We are anticipating that COVID-19 will go up when the respiratory virus season starts, which would usually be during the colder months, similar to flu and RSV. But it still remains to be seen.” The COVID vaccine is available and is especially recommended for high-risk groups. As of June 1 nearly 1.2 million people have died of COVID in the U.S., according to the CDC. “The COVID vaccine was updated this season just like this flu vaccine is updated,” Stubblefield said. “They updated it before the season, and they have done it the past two years. So, it’s not a booster anymore. It’s an updated vaccine.” Debbie and Jim Woeber of Decatur got in line for the flu vaccine Thursday with confidence, though they didn’t get COVID vaccines at the clinic. “I can’t remember when we’ve ever gotten the flu, so we definitely recommend getting the vaccine,” Debbie Woeber said. For those who missed the drive-thru clinic, vaccines are available at the Health Department as well as at various pharmacies and doctor’s offices.