Photo Credit: Houston MethodistHealth
Sniffles, shots and staying safe: Houston Methodist answers your flu season questions
Sniffles or something more serious? As flu season picks up, Dr. Krystal Lopez, family medicine and primary care physician at Houston Methodist, breaks down what to watch for, when to get vaccinated and how to keep you and your family safe.
Question: How severe is this year’s flu season compared to previous years, and what should people be thinking about as we enter flu season?
Dr. Krystal Lopez: This year’s flu season has been more severe, with hospitalization rates surpassing previous season rates at almost three times higher. The majority of these hospitalizations have been seen in adults 75 years or older, but severe disease has been seen in all age groups. This flu season is also showing to exceed hospitalization rates in children compared with previous seasons including 2022 to 2023. As we enter influenza season, people should be thinking about annual vaccination for anyone over six months who don’t have any contraindications to the vaccine. Ideally people should get vaccinated before the end of October in high-risk groups.
Question: What are the biggest myths about the flu and the flu vaccine?
Dr. Lopez: The most common myths about flu and the flu vaccine are that the vaccine will make you get the flu. This misconception is the most common one I hear amongst patients hesitant to get vaccinated. There is no clear evidence that inactivated vaccines cause influenza. The vaccine may cause some side effects; however, those are generally mild and transient.
Another myth is that the flu is a benign disease, hence leading to low vaccination motivation. The reality is that patients in high-risk groups like older adults with chronic conditions, young children and pregnant women, influenza has the potential to lead to severe symptoms leading to the high hospitalization rates and death.
Many patients also believe the myth that the vaccine is not effective and question the need for annual vaccination. Immunity to the influenza virus decreases as new circulating strains change yearly thus requiring an updated vaccine. The more consistent we are at getting vaccinated yearly, the higher the effectiveness of the vaccine.
Question: Can healthy young people skip the flu shot since they’re not high risk?
Dr. Lopez: Healthy young people should not skip the flu shot – getting vaccinated helps reduce transmission rates in the community. Young, healthy patients getting vaccinated helps protect vulnerable populations whom they may come in contact with, and even healthy individuals can experience severe symptoms due to the flu. The more people that get vaccinated, the more significant the public health benefits.
Question: What’s new or different about this year’s flu vaccines? And how should people choose the right one?
Dr. Lopez: This year’s flu vaccine is different in that it is now trivalent, meaning it protects against three main strains circulating this season. This is a change from previous years when quadrivalent (four component) flu vaccines were standard. The A(H3N2) component [the strain of the virus] has also been updated this season.
There are several types of flu vaccines available:
▪ Standard flu shot: The most common. Contains inactivated virus or virus parts and is safe for most people.
▪ FluMist (nasal spray): A live attenuated vaccine approved for people ages 2 to 49 who are not pregnant, immunocompromised or affected by certain conditions such as asthma or a cerebrospinal fluid leak.
▪ High-dose or adjuvanted vaccines: Recommended for people age 65 and older to help boost immune response and increase effectiveness in this population since our immune systems weaken as we age.
▪ Egg-free vaccine options are available for those with egg allergies.
The best approach is to talk to your doctor about your age, health status and any allergies to determine the best option.
Q: How can people tell the difference between flu, COVID-19 and RSV?
Dr. Lopez: Differentiating between flu, covid and RSV can be difficult as many of the clinical symptoms overlap. All three can cause fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, nasal congestion and respiratory distress.
There are some symptoms that tend to be more common in one virus than another.
▪ COVID-19: Loss of taste and smell as well as gastrointestinal symptoms.
▪ Flu: Higher fever, body aches and headache.
▪ RSV: Wheezing and shortness of breath.
However, none are specific enough to confidently differentiate – which is why it is important to get prompt testing at your doctor’s office or urgent care clinic.
Q: How can families protect vulnerable members during flu season?
Dr. Lopez: Families can protect vulnerable members during this flu season by having all household members get their annual influenza vaccinations as soon as possible. In addition to vaccinating, it is important to maintain good hand hygiene, disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, using a mask around ill or high-risk populations and practicing proper respiratory etiquette (covering sneezes and coughs). All these measures will help decrease the spread of respiratory droplets that can lead to infection.
Q: Any final thoughts or advice on flu season?
Dr. Lopez: Lastly, if you start to develop symptoms, vaccinated or not, early antiviral treatment within 48 hours of symptom onset or exposure should be initiated. This also includes possible exposure prophylaxis for high-risk populations who may have a contraindication to get vaccinated. Early vaccination is critical this season as we begin to see the rise in hospitalization rates caused by the flu.
Stay ahead of flu season and book your primary care visit online or call 713.394.6724. Stay informed on flu trends at flu.houstonmethodist.org.
For more information about Houston Methodist, visit our newsroom or our social media pages on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok or our On Health and Leading Medicine blogs.
Source: Houston Methodist
