Flu season is off to a nasty start

By Rob Stein
The Washington Post

	TIM BOYLE / GETTY IMAGES Marion Wegner cringes as she receives a flu shot yesterday in Niles, Ill. Federal health officials urged Americans to get a flu shot as soon as possible.
	E-mail this article Print this article Search archive

WASHINGTON — The flu season has started much more quickly than usual and features what could be an especially nasty strain of the virus, signs that the nation could be facing a severe influenza outbreak this year, federal health officials said yesterday.

Although it remains too early to know how bad the winter will be, Texas is reporting flu cases statewide, Colorado is experiencing a regional outbreak and cases have been reported in 30 other states, officials said.

"We're very concerned that the flu season has had an earlier onset than we've seen in many years, and we are seeing some parts of the country that are having very high levels of widespread flu infection," said Julie Gerberding, director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Based on the ominous early indications, federal health officials again urged Americans to get a flu shot as soon as possible.

Officials are concerned because they have detected a strain of the flu virus — called H3N2 Fujian — that was not specifically included in developing this year's vaccine. H3N2 flu strains have been especially virulent.

This year's vaccine includes another variant of the H3N2 virus, and officials hope the immunity it produces will protect people against the unexpected variant, Gerberding said.

"We're optimistic ... but we'll be watching that very carefully, and we'll know more as the flu season evolves," she said.

Anyone who wants a flu shot should get one, but officials particularly recommend vaccination for anyone age 50 or older, people with chronic medical conditions and children between 6 months and 2 years.

Gerberding, who singled out health-care workers as among those who should get vaccinated, stressed that the vaccine is safe and, contrary to popular misconceptions, does not cause the flu.

"It takes about two weeks to develop maximum protection after a flu shot, so we urge people not to delay," she said.

In a typical year, about 10 percent to 20 percent of Americans get the flu, sending about 114,000 to hospitals and killing about 36,000.

Copyright © 2003 The Seattle Times Company