As Flu Season Ends, A Reminder to the Workforce About Vaccinations
(HealthDay News) – There’s no doubt that the flu vaccine saves lives, especially among the very young and the elderly.
But for a disease that still hospitalizes more than 100,000 U.S. residents every year and kills more than 20,000, it sometimes seems that the message about getting annual flu shot isn’t always being heard.
This is especially evident in the American workforce.
U.S. businesses could save as much as $12 billion annually by giving workers flu shots before they catch the bug, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Vaccinations have been shown to cut doctor visits by 34 percent to 44 percent, and lost workdays by 32 percent to 45 percent, the agency says.
"It could be a service for employees, and it will certainly save lost work hours," says Dr. Raymond Strikes, then CDC’s director for adult immunization, part of the U/S. government’s National Immunization Program. "The impact of the flu can be unpredictable."
The flu season runs from late December through March, and 10 percent to 20 percent of Americans fall victim to the germ each year, according to the CDC, which tracks the illness weekly in 122 cities. More than 110,000 people are hospitalized every year because of flu-related problems, and about 20,000 Americans die annually from such complications, the agency says.
It’s not yet possible to determine when the flu season peaked in the United States in 2006-2007, but the latest available data ending March 9 show that reporting of widespread or regional influenza activity decreased from 44 states 41 states from the previous week. The percent of deaths caused by pneumonia and influenza also remained below the baseline level, the CDC reports.
Cost savings from vaccinations, though, are hard to predict, Strikas says, because it depends on how badly the illness strikes.
"Flu varies a lot from year to year. You can have years where it really hits the country's health and economy, and then you have light years like the last two, when companies may not save money by offering vaccinations," he says.
Still, it behooves businesses to protect their workers, says Dr. Gordon S. Raskin, a Northern California infectious disease specialist.
"Preventing illness can be more gratifying than dealing with it in the ER trenches," he says. "Businesses can help people, and save some bucks at the same time."
The influenza virus, which affects the nose, throat and lungs, is generally spread by infected people coughing or sneezing in the presence of others. Common symptoms are headache, cough, stuffy nose, fever, exhaustion or muscle aches, although the virus can cause more serious complications.
While some people worry that flu shots will give them the flu, the CDC says that doesn't happen. Vaccinations generally work, and they are especially important for people at risk for complications from the virus.
"Studies of healthy young adults have shown flu vaccine to be 70 percent to 90 percent effective in preventing the flu. In the elderly and those with certain long-term medical conditions, the flu shot is often less effective in preventing illness. However, in the elderly, flu vaccine is very effective in reducing hospitalizations and death from flu-related causes," the agency says.
Although the CDC recommends the vaccine to most people, it suggests those who aren't in high-risk groups wait until November or December to get a flu shot. That gives those in danger of complications from the flu -- such as the very young, the elderly and those with chronic diseases -- the first chance at vaccination, Strikas says.
People shouldn't get the shot, however, if they're allergic to eggs, where the vaccine is cultured. The vaccine also should be avoided by those who've had past reactions to flu shots or have an acute illness with fever, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
To prepare a new vaccine every year, scientists in early spring begin to predict the strains of the virus that will become active in the coming flu season. Then by early summer, they settle on the vaccination formula, and a handful of companies begin producing the vaccine for distribution, starting in September.
On the Web
To read the CDC's suggestions about vaccinations, click here.
SOURCES: Raymond Strikas, M.D., Associate Director for Adult Immunization, National Immunization Program, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta; Gordon S. Raskin, M.D., occupational health specialist, Fremont, Calif.
Publication date: March 19, 2007
Author: Ross Grant, HealthDay Reporter
Copyright © 2007 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
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