By Joanne Byrne
Retired and Rejuvenated
Joanne Byrne.
For most of us, flu season begins each fall. For flu experts in the United States, however, it begins in February. That’s when scientists and researchers from around the world gather for a meeting hosted by the World Health Organization where they spend days reviewing which strains of the flu virus have been making people sick and decide which strains the next season’s vaccines should cover.
The truth about the flu virus is that it is a moving target. For laboratories and manufacturers who make the vaccine each year, tracking it is only the start. The flu is constantly changing, mutating as it replicates itself in ways that allow its strains to get past our bodies’ immune defenses even if we’ve had the flu before or if we roll up our sleeves for the shot each fall.
This battle plays out not only within the bodies of people who come down with the flu’s signature fever, chills and muscle aches, but also in laboratories around the world which must work quickly to analyze how the flu virus is changing in order to predict what to do next. The pressure is also on for the U.S. manufacturers who have about six months after the first February meeting to prepare, test and distribute more than 100 million doses of the vaccine.
The process of making flu vaccine starts with chicken eggs, which are fertilized with the viruses that have been selected for that year’s vaccines. The eggs are left to incubate for several days before the virus is extracted and inactivated for use in the flu shot. Today, around 95 percent of all flu vaccines made in the U.S. start out in eggs, even as manufacturers look to new technologies as an alternative.
Even the most effectively formulated seasonal flu shot is, by design, only intended to protect people from the types of flu that are currently circulating.
Having the flu can be potentially serious, especially for older people and those with an underlying medical condition. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 90 percent of flu-related deaths and 50 to 70 percent of all hospitalizations for flu occur among people age 65 and older. While the effectiveness of the flu shot varies year to year, the agency estimates that it prevents millions of cases of flu and flu-related doctor visits annually.
It takes about two weeks to build up immunity after receiving the flu shot, so experts say early vaccination is key. The CDC recommends getting the flu shot early in the fall or by the end of October. If you are 65 or older, ask your doctor about the high-dose version of the vaccine which is formulated specifically for older adults. The Orange Visiting Nurse Association had an active schedule for flu clinics throughout October and still has one remaining date available on Nov. 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the High Plains Community Center. The Milford Health Department has a flu clinic for the general public on Nov. 6 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Health Department. It also holds monthly immunization clinics.
Experts hope that a universal flu vaccine that protects against all possible strains of the virus will one day be developed and replace the yearly shot. That prospect is a long way off. In the meantime, expert advice remains the same: get the flu shot. Your future self will thank you.
Joanne Byrne served as the Senior Services Coordinator for the Town of Orange. She is now actively and happily retired. Email her at joannebyrne41@gmail.com to share your thoughts on retirement.