Health care workers tout flu vaccines as cases expected to increase – West Hawaii Today
                            January 20, 2024
                                With fewer residents getting vaccinated for respiratory    illnesses and more visitors traveling throughout the state,    Hawaii has seen an increase in flu cases in recent weeks.  
    Chad Shibuya, an infection control nurse manager at Hilo    Medical Center, has been monitoring flu, COVID-19 and RSV cases    in the emergency room throughout the flu season, which began in    August 2023.  
    When you go month-by-month, there are more flu cases than    anything else. COVID in comparison is low, and cases of RSV    increased but have now leveled off, Shibuya said. However,    this January, weve had more COVID than flu, so there is    fluctuation.  
    From October to December, 250 cases of Influenza A, 139 cases    of Influenza B, 187 cases of RSV and 21 cases of COVID were    hospitalized at HMC.  
    This month, Influenza A and RSV have been trending down, COVID    is trending up, and Influenza B has become rare, according to    Shibuya.  
    When we look at the respiratory viruses going on right now,    there are not many hospitalizations compared to previous years,    and risk groups remain the same, Shibuya said. Mostly    patients 60-years and older end up in the hospital.    Occasionally, we will admit a pediatric case, but they are    rare, and they dont stay long.  
    The state Department of Health on Tuesday announced the first    influenza-associated death of a Hawaii resident under the age    of 18 during this flu season. The child was an Oahu resident.  
    Unlike flu activity in other states, flu transmission in Hawaii    is observed year-round.  
    Im not sure specifically why our flu season is longer than    that of states on the mainland, but the flu does travel in a    pattern, Shibuya said. We have visitors coming from all over    the world, as well as residents traveling more and spending    more time indoors during the holidays. All of this can allow    the flu to spread easily.  
    At Queens North Hawaii Community Hospital in Waimea, there were    178 cases of influenza from October to December 2023, compared    to 101 cases for the same period in 2022.  
    (Reasons for) an increase in cases could be that people are    out more and not wearing masks, said Lynn Scully, marketing    and communications manager for QNHCH. Flu usually peaks here    in Hawaii a bit later than the U.S. mainland, so it is safe to    expect that our cases will continue to increase.  
    While there are more cases of the flu this year, their severity    is not the worst that Hawaii Island has seen. However, recovery    can still take a long time, according to Dr. Christine Chan    with East Hawaii Health Clinics.  
    Once the virus passes through the respiratory system, it    causes inflammation, and that damage can take three to four    weeks to repair, Chan said. Even if youre better in a few    days, there are long-term social consequences after illness    with many people developing a post-viral cough.  
    State Epidemiologist Sarah Kemble recommends that everyone 6    months and older get vaccinated against the flu.  
    While this years flu season began in August, there is still    time to get a flu vaccine because Hawaiis flu season can last    until April.  
    It takes two weeks to build immunity from the flu vaccine, so    its important to get the vaccine early, around August or    September, said Chan. Because the season is so long, you can    still build immunity to protect yourself and others through    February, March and April.  
    According to Shibuya, one reason why fewer people are getting    flu shots is the overall public fatigue surrounding    vaccinations.  
    People are tired of talking about vaccines, even if they    arent opposed to them. Each year, there are COVID, flu and RSV    shots recommended, and people are not getting them as much,    Shibuya said. It is still a good idea to get vaccinated every    year, because you never know if youll be that one person who    gets really sick, and getting those shots will reduce the    risk.  
    Health experts highly recommend vaccines against respiratory    viruses for vulnerable populations such as those with heart    disease, diabetes, asthma, COPD and people over 65.  
    Protection with the flu vaccine can reduce rates of    cardiovascular events, which can cause inflammation and damage    to the heart, kidneys, brain and body in general, Chan said.    If people do have symptoms, we urge them to see primary care    doctors, Urgent Care clinics, or go to the emergency room if    its serious, as soon as possible.  
    A list of COVID-19 and flu vaccination locations can be found    at vaccines.gov.  
    Email kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com.  
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Health care workers tout flu vaccines as cases expected to increase - West Hawaii Today