http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011031/hl/flu_2.html
Wednesday October 31 5:29 PM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - If you're interested in
getting a flu shot, you should do so because you want to prevent the flu--not
because you're concerned about anthrax, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (news
- web
sites) said Wednesday. Dr. Keiji Fukuda, a CDC spokesman, said, ``every year,
there are tens of millions of people who develop flu-like illnesses caused by a
variety of different agents. In fact, less than half of all flu-like illnesses
are due to influenza viruses themselves.''
``We don't want to sell the idea that vaccinations against influenza will
decrease the chances of getting anthrax, or that if people do get vaccinated
and develop a flu-like illness, that they should be more worried about
anthrax.''
The CDC is maintaining its previous recommendations that those most in need
of vaccination are individuals at high risk of severe complications of
influenza, such as the elderly or those with compromised immune systems.
Beginning in November, Fukuda said, physicians should begin vaccinating individuals
at the next level of risk: healthy people ages 50 to 64 and those in regular
close contact with high risk individuals. After that, ``physicians should
continue to offer vaccinations as long as vaccine is available.''
``We're not telling people to indiscriminately get vaccinated, although we
have not specifically recommended against young, healthy people being
immunized,'' Fukuda added.
Fukuda recognizes the difficulty physicians and patients may have in
differentiating early inhalational anthrax from another flu-like illness.
However, many people will develop colds or the flu, while few would be expected
to come down with anthrax.
``Although it's gotten a lot of media attention, anthrax has not been
diagnosed in most parts of country,'' he said. He pointed out that among cases
of anthrax seen so far, patients have not presented with a runny nose, whereas
this is a common symptom of colds. ``So physicians should tell patients, if
they are developing what feels like a cold, it's likely to be a cold!''
``We all recognize the high level of concern about anthrax throughout the
country,'' he continued. In previous years, Los Angeles hospitals have been
inundated with people with respiratory illnesses, a scenario that may be common
throughout the country this year. ``The Healthcare Association of Southern
California came up with some common sense recommendations that could be useful
for other hospitals to consider this year,'' Fukuda said. ``For example,
hospitals can consider reducing or eliminating elective surgery. They can
consider relaxing their staff-to-patient ratios within the limits of their
state licensing agencies, or they can develop ways to identify and bring in
extra staff to help with the patients.''
In addition, he said, hospitals can set up walk-in flu clinics to triage the
patients and they can take care to immunize their own staff members so they
have more staff available during the flu season.
ALL
INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR
GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE
KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED
AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO
VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU
ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.