Health Care Quarterly:

Seniors are the most common target for the flu virus; take action early

Benjamin Franklin said, “Lost time is never found again.” Most would agree that procrastination is the enemy of many things in life, health care being one of them. Flu shots are no exception. Every year, doctors and health care professionals see patients who are suffering from influenza and frequently hear them say, “I wish I had done something sooner to prevent this.”

Dr. Judith Ford of HealthCare Partners Nevada urges patients to get an annual flu vaccination as soon as it is available. Vaccinations are readily available at many locations throughout the community, and this is an extremely important preventative measure to take, especially for people in three categories who are most vulnerable — small children, senior citizens and those who are medically fragile.

For senior citizens, the importance of vaccinations cannot be stressed enough. According to the 2018-19 Southern Nevada Health District’s Influenza Season Wrap Up, 64.1%, or nearly two of every three, confirmed cases of the flu in Clark County last year were in those age 50 and up.

The statistics in the report also remind us that influenza can be deadly. Of the 39 deaths attributed to influenza in Clark County, 30 of those were people over the age of 50. Even so, last year was a mild year compared to 2017-18, when Clark County saw 62 flu-related deaths.

While getting a vaccination does not guarantee that a person will not contract the influenza virus, it does diminish the chances of getting it. If a person who has been vaccinated does get the flu, the effects should not be as severe as they would be compared to someone who has not received the vaccination.

In addition to getting vaccinated, there are other simple practices that people can take to reduce their chances of contracting the flu. Wash your hands frequently. This is another practice that cannot be emphasized enough. We encounter numerous germs throughout the day that can lead to contracting the flu virus. We touch door handles, light switches, keyboards, elevator buttons, handle money and use shopping carts that may have been used by someone carrying the influenza virus. With this in mind, it is also particularly important to avoid touching the eyes, nose, and mouth — they serve as direct pathways for the flu to enter your system.

To be proactive, HealthCare Partners Nevada recommends keeping hand sanitizer or sanitizing wipes in your possession at all times, and using them constantly. Also make it a habit to regularly sanitize high traffic areas in your home, as this can help to reduce the spreading of germs and harmful bacteria.

Simple but regular practices like these can mean the difference between being sick for an extended time or being able to continue with your regular daily schedule throughout the year in a healthy way.

It is also important to get vaccinated early. Flu vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination. These antibodies provide protection against infection with the viruses that are in the vaccine. The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season.

Many people mistakenly think they should wait until colder weather arrives before getting vaccinated. However, in many cases, they may have already been exposed and the vaccination may not be in effect or fully in effect by that time.

Las Vegas is visited every day by countless people from around the world, thus increasing the potential exposure to the influenza virus. HealthCare Partners Nevada says this is yet another reason to get vaccinated early.

Flu vaccines are offered in many doctor’s offices, clinics, health departments, pharmacies and college health centers, as well as by many employers, and even in some schools.

For those who don’t have a regular doctor, flu vaccinations may be readily available at locations like a health department, pharmacy, urgent care clinic, or the workplace. With the number of locations where vaccinations are available, most people should be able to find a location close to where they live.

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