MCC Daily Tribune

New York State has declared an Influenza Public Health Emergency

On January 25, 2018, Governor Andrew Cuomo declared an influenza public health emergency for New York State (NYS). In addition to administering flu vaccines to adults, licensed pharmacists are now temporarily allowed to administer flu vaccines to children between 2 and 17 years of age with an appropriate non-patient specific standing order.

All local pharmacies still have flu vaccine available as well as the Monroe County Health Department.

Flu symptoms are sudden onset and can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, chills, fatigue, sometimes diarrhea and vomiting.

For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/flu or www.flu.goc or call 800-CDC-INFO.

If diagnosed with the flu there are medications available to lessen the severity of the illness available from your primary care doctor or at all local Urgent Cares. Hand washing and avoiding sick persons is your first line of defense.

Influenza Antiviral Medications

One of three influenza antiviral medications - oseltamivir (Tamiflu), zanamivir (Relenza), or peramivir (Rapivab) - should be used for treating influenza infections, esp ecially in persons at high risk for serious complications of influenza infection. Peramivir is only available as an IV formulation and is approved for use in persons two years of age and older. Only oseltamivir and zanamivir are approved for prophylaxis. Zanamivir should not be used in persons with underlying airways disease, such as asthma or COPD. Antiviral treatment should be started as early as possible for any patients with confirmed or suspected influenza who are hospitalized, seriously ill, or ill with a high risk of serious influenza-related complications. The latter group includes:
• Persons over 65 or under 2 years of age
• Pregnant women, or those who have given birth within the previous 2 weeks
• Persons with diabetes, chronic lung (e.g., asthma), heart, kidney, liver, or blood disorders, neurological disorders compromising respiration, history of stroke, morbid obesity (i.e., body-mass index > 40), or who are immunocompromised (e.g. HIV, AIDS and/or cancer)
• Persons under 19 years of age who are on long-term aspirin therapy
Treatment should begin as soon as influenza is suspected, regardless of vaccination status or rapid test results, and should not be delayed for confirmatory testing. Further recommendations on the use of antiviral drugs are available at:
https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/flu-seasonal-treatment.page
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/antivirals/index.htm

Jacqueline Carson
Health Services
01/31/2018