weird flu question

[ktgrok]

This year, supposedly there was very little flu - certainly I didn't hear much of anyone getting it. However, as people get vaccinated for Covid, and increase exposure to others (eventually, maybe late summer?) is there going to be a delayed increase in flu? Like...a late flu season? Will it still be the same flu at that point? Like, when do they switch to the new vaccine each year?

I got a flu vaccine last year, and wondering if that will still provide protection in say, July? Not worried about ME so much as knowign a lot of people will be in the same boat. 

I also didn't get the kids vaccinated for flu, as taking them into a medical clinic would increase their exposure, and they don't go anywhere right now. If we do start doing some limited play dates with families where parents are vaccinated but kids are not (only if kids are low exposure otherwise...people I know well enough to know this), if I need to bother to get them a flu vaccine or just wait until fall again or what the heck?

Again, not worried per se, just curious. 

[Scarlett]

It will be interesting.  I heard that respiratory illnesses are just down in general because of masking and social distancing.   I have never had the flu and never had a flu vaccine.  Not sure how I will handle it in the future.  I see a lot of things differently now.

[regentrude]

I would not expect a delayed flu season since the flu virus thrives in cold weather and not during the summer.
The reason why flu is seasonal has not been decided conclusively. I consider it highly unlikely to contract the flu in July in the US. The flu vaccine would no longer be effective; it loses potency after about half a year, which is why I never get the shot early in September when they start vaccinating, but wait until November as to have protection into March.

Edited April 1, 2021 by regentrude

[kbutton]

4 minutes ago, regentrude said:

I would not expect a delayed flu season since the flu virus thrives in cold weather and not during the summer.
The reason why flu is seasonal has not been decided conclusively. I consider it highly unlikely to contract the flu in July in the US. The flu vaccine would no longer be effective; it loses potency after about half a year, which is why I never get the shot early in September when they start vaccinating, but wait until November as to have protection into March.

We wait as long as possible for our area too. People do get flu year-round, but it's far less common in warm months. We did get our vaccine early this year as there was some suggestion that more people would get it, and it could be hard to get a shot. 

You can watch public health sites for information on when flu picks up in your area and vaccinate based on that timeline. Ideally, you want to get it about the time it hits your area for the longest lasting protection.

[Melissa in Australia]

20 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

It will be interesting.  I heard that respiratory illnesses are just down in general because of masking and social distancing.   I have never had the flu and never had a flu vaccine.  Not sure how I will handle it in the future.  I see a lot of things differently now.

What, you have never had a head cold? 

People may just have a mild flu and it presents like a headcold. 

I would say it impossible to say you have never had the flu in your whole life. Never had a bad case of the flu maybe, but not never had the flu 

[Tanaqui]

That seems like a weirdly pedantic nitpick, but then, I did just recently make a post to inform somebody that bell peppers have a lot more vitamin C than citrus fruit so maybe I shouldn't say anything.

(Or maybe I should! If I think this is a bit much, surely it IS a bit much?)

[Tap]

Flu season in the USA is generally wraps up by May. I would not get vaccinated now unless you plan international travel, plan to spend time in a hospital or plan to be caring for a newborn or medically fragile baby or elder. The vaccine that is manufactured each year typically expires in June and the new vaccine supply starts showing up in pharmacies and doctors offices in August. I would not expect a late flu season at this point. Since there were fewer cases of flu to begin with, it should end around the same time, or maybe even sooner (since there are fewer cases to keep it spreading). 

The 2021-22 vaccine combination has already been approved and is likely already in production. One bit of information that is uncertain at this point, is "how effective will the next flu shot be". Since there were fewer cases this past year, and due to COVID restrictions, fewer people were tested for flu. This lack of data, could impair the effectiveness of the flu vaccine this fall. Or....it may not make any difference at all.  We won't know till next year.

There are many, many kinds of flu each year.  The flu vaccine has 3 or 4 strains (depends on which vaccine you get) Having one type of flu vaccine will only really provide protection from those strains of flu.  So, yes, you will still have protection, but not from all the flus that are in the community. 

[Tap]

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Edited April 2, 2021 by Tap

[Ausmumof3]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-20/large-resurgence-of-rsv-affecting-us-sooner/100017760
 

RSV is apparently surging in Australia at an odd time of year.  We’ve had two rounds of cold flu like illnesses go through in six weeks.  School families I know have had even more - one family had cold symptoms followed by gastro followed by another cold all in the first month of school!