By Michael Napolitano
One of the biggest outbreaks of the flu virus in recent years has spread throughout New England, according to health officials, and Northeastern has been no exception. For the past month, University Health and Counseling Services (UHCS) has been flooded with students seeking treatment for flu-related symptoms during what UHCS officials say is usually the worst month of the year for the virus.
“The number of students wanting to be seen at UHCS for flu and flu-like symptoms has increased significantly,” said David Winch, director of quality assurance for UHCS. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about five to 20 percent of US residents get the flu each year and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized due to complications from the virus. About 36,000 Americans die each year from severe symptoms, according to the CDC. Massachusetts’ General Hospital’s network of clinics and hospital wards has reported that the number of patients testing positive for influenza this season is already 21 percent higher than last winter, and the amount is still growing.
While specialists are not yet sure why this year is worse, they have cited a new strain of the virus as a possible cause. This strain is not a good match with the current circulating vaccine, meaning the shot provides a weaker form of protection than in most years.
“It’s unclear whether the new strain is covered by the current vaccine,” said Carolyn Dolan, coordinator of Caritas Carney Flu Clinic in Dorchester and a Northeastern graduate. “However, you can still benefit a little from it.”
According to the CDC’s website, a less than ideal match can still help prevent or lessen the symptoms of the virus. While the new strains are different, they are still related to the types of flu that the vaccination helps build antibodies against, according to the website. The CDC continues to recommend receiving the flu shot despite the weaker protection it seems to have provided.
Dolan said the vaccine is still available at the Dorchester clinic and should be covered by most health insurance plans. UHCS also made the shot available this past fall, for a charge of $30.
The next best thing, Dolan said, is to wash your hands constantly. If you do contract the virus, she said to stay home and keep up on healthy nutrition and fluids. Kristine Gammer, a sophomore communication studies major, said she is more than willing to pay for the vaccination.
“I’ve had the flu before and don’t need to go through it again to know it’s a huge pain in the butt,” she said. “To not get sick, I just wash my hands or use Purell after touching things that lots of other people have touched.”
“This year, the supply of flu vaccine was plentiful, so availability and delivery issues that have been problems in past years have not been a problem this flu season,” Winch said. “Flu season usually peaks in February in Massachusetts, so flu shots could be helpful in preventing illness if they were received between October and January.”
Winch added that he agrees that the effectiveness of this vaccine may not be up to par with most years.
In addition to flu shots, UHCS also provides Massachusetts Department of Public Health booklets. “Flu: What You Can Do – Caring for People at Home” describes how to care for someone who is sick with influenza and describes the differences between the types of the virus.
