2019-2020 Flu Coming to a Town Near You

2019-2020 Flu Coming to a Town Near You

The 2019-2020 influenza season is here, and for several reasons, it is predicted to be a bad one for which schools and businesses must be prepared.

2019-2020 Flu Coming to a Town Near You

Influenza, Coming to a Town Near You

It's that time again--time to start tracking the dreaded march of flu across the country as it wreaks havoc on our schools, healthcare systems, and economy.

Unfortunately for many, the first line of defense--vaccinations--are likely to prove ineffective this year.

The dire effects of vaccination to virus strain mismatch--blamed, in part, for the record number of deaths during the 2017-2018 influenza outbreak, which claimed the lives of 80 thousand people and 160 children in the United States--is predicted to strike the U.S., U.K., and Canada this year.

 

 

According to the Daily Mail;

This year's flu vaccine may not be effective, a top expert warns.

Dr. Danuta Skowronski, an influenza expert from the University of British Columbia, told Stat News that this year's flu shot for the Northern Hemisphere - including the US, UK, and Canada - is likely to be a 'mismatch.'

Flu shots have to be newly developed ahead of each season based on scientists' predictions of which strains will be most active in the coming months.

Officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) choose the strains for the Northern Hemisphere's shot in February and chose those for the Southern Hemisphere last week.

For the Southern Hemisphere, officials chose influenza A/H3N2, and B/Victoria - different ones from the strains picked for the North, suggesting to Dr. Skowronski that the prior prediction was wrong and the Northern shots may be ineffective.

Another flu shot fail? This season's vaccine for the US, UK and Canada is likely to be a 'mismatch' for the deadly virus, expert warns

Even where the virus strain to vaccination matches, the effectiveness of the inoculation is depressingly low for seniors and young children, specifically the H3N2 sub-strain, commonly referred to as Avian Flu, which has mutated into multiple variants that can infect humans, birds, and pigs.

According to Healthline;

Preliminary reports on the effectiveness of this year’s [2018-19] vaccine suggest there was a 25 percent trusted Source level of effectiveness against the H3N2 strain.

For those aged 65 and older, the vaccine was only 17 percent effective.

In older children and adults under 65, the effectiveness was even lower.

In a statement, FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb says efforts are underway to see what can be done to improve effectiveness for future vaccines.

We’re striving to better understand why we saw reduced effectiveness of this year’s influenza vaccines against one strain of influenza A, called H3N2.

It was this strain that caused much of the influenza-related illness this flu season.

The paramount lesson is one that we already knew, but it was painfully reinforced: Science needs to provide us a better influenza vaccine.

Will 2019 Flu Vaccine Be Better Than This Years?

 

Tracking the 2019-2020 Influenza Season

Currently, California is reporting sporadic instances of influenza throughout the state.

 

Weekly US Map: Influenza Summary Update

 

According to Everyday Health, Los Angeles, Kern, Tulare, and Kings counties are reporting moderate outbreaks, while Fresno, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties are already reporting severe conditions.

 

COUNTY FLU FORECAST Kern, CA

 

Ways to Avoid the Flu

Given the likely ineffectiveness of the influenza vaccination this year, an ounce of prevention may well exceed a pound of cure.

As always, strive to be diligent in hand hygiene at all times, especially when out in public, and keep a bottle of hand sanitizer on your person--applying liberally, as needed.

If you know you're around someone who is sick or is exhibiting symptoms, try to remain a minimum of six feet away from them to avoid coming into contact with sputum from their coughs and sneezes.

Wipe down your work area and keep it clutter-free to simplify cleaning and deny the virus a place to hide.

Avoid, if possible, the use of paper currency--influenza can survive for 72 hours on bills, but only a few hours on credit and debit cards.

Where possible, raise the temperature in the classroom and office--influenza thrives and spreads faster in colder temperatures.

And finally, familiarize yourself with the high-touch germ hotspots in your life, especially in classrooms, office buildings, and public transport and service facilities--that's where you're most likely to come into contact with the virus.

 

References & Resources

 

Takeaway

The 2019-2020 flu season is here, and it's going to probably be a bad one.

This year has all the hallmarks of mimicking the deadly 2017-18 influenza outbreak that took the lives of 80 thousand people in the U.S. alone.

The predicted ineffectiveness of the flu vaccine means that we must all do our part to ensure the health and safety of those around us, including stepping up and monitoring our hand hygiene, as well as workplace and classroom cleanliness.

Increasing the frequency of disinfection services has proven in several long-term studies to significantly reduce the reported instances of influenza.

Outsourcing your facility's additional requirements to a service provider experienced with electrostatic disinfection services can significantly improve your organization's chances of avoiding near-catastrophic health challenges this winter.

If you would like further information regarding the health and safety benefits of increased cleaning and disinfection services during the flu season, or if you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation onsite assessment of your facilities' infection prevention and control requirements, contact us today for a free quote!

In Bakersfield CA, call (661) 437-3253

In Fresno CA, call (559) 206-1059

In Valencia CA, or Santa Clarita CA, call (661) 437-3253


Vanguard Cleaning Systems of the Southern Valley

Vanguard Cleaning Systems of the Southern Valley