H3N2 Influenza Outbreak

Photo from Inversescience.com

Influenza H3N2 is plaguing the US this flu season. It is a more severe form of influenza A which can cause complications and is harder to prevent. Everyone in our group here in Florida has come down with this nasty bug. It started with a scratchy sore throat and a dry cough. At it's worst, our symptoms included a deep chest cough, chills, aches, fatigue, fever and (for me) the dreaded vomiting! Several of us spent 48 hours in bed, unable to function! It was BAD! I definitely got the worst of H3N2. I'm not sure if it's due to having Asthma or just simple bad luck but I felt like I was dying! Dave sounded as bad or worse than I did but he continued to work long hours throughout the KBIS trade show. I really don't know how he did it because I was worthless!

The KBIS H3N2 Gang before the flu apocalypse
Dan, Dave M, Ruby, Chris, Shawn, Mike, Zach, Beth & Dave R

BRIZO  Booth at KBIS 2018

BRIZO & DELTA Booths at KBIS 2018

Experts say this year's flu strain looks to be worse than the 2009 Swine flu, (H1N1), which ended up killing more than 18,000 people. I got that flu too. We were in Dublin, Ireland for the Dublin Marathon. Luckily, I got sick after we ran the race but I was so sick that Dave didn't think I would be allowed on the plane to go home. He told me to keep my mouth shut and try not to cough. It turned out I wasn't alone; everyone in the airport was sick!

Beth on top of Bray Head,
County Wicklow, Ireland 2009

County Wicklow, Dublin Bay, Ireland 2009

The 2018 flu vaccine is believed to cover only 10% of the flu viruses circulating this year. H3N2 is included in this year's vaccine but it is only 30% effective in the US. (The New England Journal of Medicine reported that this vaccine was only 10% effective in Australia.) This leads to confusion about whether or not to bother getting the vaccine. We did not get a flu shot this year even though we almost always do. It's not because of the controversy, it's just plain timing. We did not make the time to get it. Experts say that everyone should get the shot in spite of the low effectiveness. If it doesn't stop you from getting the flu, it can help lessen your symptoms and the length of time you are sick. It takes about two weeks to build up defenses after being vaccinated. Even though we already got H3N2, the vaccine could help us avoid the other influenza viruses covered in this year's vaccine.

I wondered what decisions factored into how the vaccine was created. After a little research I learned that every year, over 100 countries collect influenza samples for testing and surveillance. Each national influenza center sends the results to one of five WHO (World Health Organizations) throughout the world. Twice a year, experts from WHO meet and evaluate the data in order to recommend specific viruses to be included in the vaccine. The decision is influenced by which viruses are circulating but also which viruses can be isolated and grown. To complicate things, some viruses show up and spread late in the flu season, too late to be included. Production of the vaccine takes at least six months.

I'm going to go out on a limb to suggest that you all get the damn flu shot as soon as possible. If you don't, and you get this nasty illness, you'll wish you had. Getting vaccinated will, at least, make you feel like you've done all you can to avoid it! At this point I'm wishing I did!

My 2013 flu shot

Photo from Forkedrivergazette.com