Study: Adults Get Flu Twice a Decade, On Average

According to a new study out of Imperial College London, adults over the age of 30 only catch the flu about twice a decade. However, they noted, many other pathogens can present flu-like symptoms, making it difficult to determine how often people really have influenza.

Children, on the other hand, were found to get the flu every other year, on average.

During the study, the researchers analyzed blood samples and looked at antibody levels against nine different strains of flu that circulated between 1968 and 2009.

The study's authors noted that rhinovirus and coronavirus both present similarly to the flu, possibly leading people to assume these illnesses are influenza.

To learn more, click here.

Need Help Finding a Flu Vaccine?

If you haven't yet received your flu vaccine, the CDC has a tool to help. Simply enter your ZIP code in the Flu Vaccine Finder above to be shown locations near your home offering the vaccine. Even though this year's flu vaccine has been shown to not completely align with current flu strains (because of so-called "drift variants"), the CDC still recommends that everyone six months and older get vaccinated because vaccines have been shown to offer some protection against drift variants in the past. The vaccine could also provide protection against other flu strains that might become more common as the season progresses. To learn more, visit flu.gov.

Get Ready for Flu Season 2014

The CDC has released its guidance for the 2014-’15 flu season, which could begin at any time and last until as late as May. The agency recommends that healthcare facilities implement five core infection prevention strategies to halt the spread of flu.

The flu vaccine

The CDC recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months, including all healthcare workers and nursing home residents, receive a flu shot unless contraindicated. This year’s flu shot is designed to protect against the main flu viruses that research suggests will cause most of the season’s illnesses. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for flu antibodies to begin developing and providing protection, so the vaccine should be administered as soon as it is available.

Implement respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette 

Respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette should be observed by all healthcare workers as well as all visitors, both at their arrival and throughout the duration of their visits. The CDC recommends posting visual alerts, such as signs and posters, at the entrance and throughout the facility containing information on how and when to perform these procedures. Supplies such as hand sanitizer, tissues and masks should also be readily available for staff, residents and visitors.

Monitor and manage ill healthcare workers 

Healthcare workers who develop a fever and respiratory symptoms should be instructed not to report to work. If they are already at work, they should stop all resident-care activities, don a facemask and notify their supervisor and infection control contact. The ill worker should not return to work until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever (without the use of fever-reducing medicines).

Adhere to infection control precautions

When caring for a resident with the flu, all healthcare workers should observe standard precautions, droplet precautions and exercise caution when performing aerosol-generating procedures (such as bronchoscopy, sputum induction, elective intubation and extubation).

Implement environmental and engineering infection control measures

Standard cleaning and disinfection procedures should be performed in all settings within the facility, including resident-care areas in which aerosol-generating procedures are performed. When feasible, consider installing engineering controls that reduce or eliminate exposure, such as curtains that can be drawn between residents in shared areas.

For additional details on the CDC’s recommendations, click here.

ProMed stocks all of the products you need to fight the spread of flu and other infections in your facility, including:

• Hand hygiene products and dispensers
• Isolation products 
• Linen bags designed to handle infectious waste
• Surface disinfectants 

To learn more about any of these items, contact your ProMed territory manager, give us a call at (800) 648-5190 or visit us online at promedsupply.com.

Are You Fully Stocked for Flu Season?

The CDC predicts that the current flu season will continue on for some time and worsen in many locations before coming to an end. If an outbreak occurred in your building today, would you have everything you need to fight back?

We encourage you to examine the chart below, which was created based on CDC recommendations, to ensure you’re not caught empty-handed when illness strikes. 

CDC Recommendation	ProMed Product Solutions
“Wear a facemask (e.g., surgical or procedure mask) upon entering the resident’s room. Remove the facemask when leaving the resident’s room and dispose of the facemask in a waste container. If resident movement or transport is necessary, have the resident wear a facemask if possible.”	Our N95 particulate respirators meet CDC guidelines for fluid resistance and TB exposure control and provide respiratory protection for your entire staff.            We also offer basic procedure masks to protect your residents, staff and visitors.
“Perform hand hygiene before and after touching the resident, after touching the resident’s environment or after touching the resident’s respiratory secretions, whether or not gloves are worn. Gloves do not replace the need for performing hand hygiene.”	GelRite Instant Hand Sanitizer contains 65 percent ethyl alcohol and kills 99.9 percent of harmful bacteria, making it the perfect choice for healthcare use.           DermaKleen is a soft antimicrobial hand cleanser. It kills bacteria on contact while softening, conditioning and moisturizing skin.
“Wear gloves if hand contact with respiratory secretions or potentially contaminated surfaces is anticipated. … [Change] gloves and gowns after each resident encounter and performing hand hygiene.”	We offer gloves in nitrile, stretch synthetic, synthetic, latex and powder-free poly formulations.                        Super Sani-Cloth Germicidal Disposable Wipes meet CDC, OSHA and CMS Tag F441 guidelines for disinfection of contaminated surfaces. They are effective against Influenza A, the most prominent strain this year, among numerous other microorganisms. The wipes are also available in bleach and alcohol-free formulas.
“Wear a gown if soiling of clothes with a resident’s respiratory secretions is anticipated.”	Our isolation gowns feature elastic cuffs for a more secure fit under gloves. They’re made from high-quality spunbonded polypropylene.
“Administer the current season’s influenza vaccine to unvaccinated residents and healthcare personnel as per current vaccination recommendations.”	ProMed’s safety syringes are ideal for flu vaccines and medication delivery.

To read the CDC’s complete guidance, click here.

ProMed also stocks products to help ill residents manage their flu symptoms, including facial tissue, electrolyte drinks and disposable bedside bags.

Professional Medical has everything you need to develop a comprehensive flu prevention and management strategy. To learn more, contact your territory manager, give us a call at (800) 648-5190 or visit us online at promedsupply.com.

Reference

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Interim Guidance for Influenza Outbreak Management in Long-Term Care Facilities. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/ltc-facility-guidance.htm. Accessed January 22, 2013. 

Flu Season Update

According to the CDC, 40 states are currently reporting widespread flu activity. To be considered widespread, flu activity needs to be reported in more than 50 percent of a state's geographic regions.

In the past week, the proportion of deaths attributed pneumonia and influenza increased and moved above the epidemic threshold for the first time this season.

There have been 3,745 laboratory-confirmed influenza-related hospitalizations since October 1, 2013. The highest hospitalization rates are among those 65 older and children younger than five years old. This is typical of most flu seasons.

The most common strain of flu this year is Influenza A, or H1N1. After causing a pandemic in 2009, H1N1 has established itself in the human population and is no longer referred to as swine flu. In fact, it's become so common that it was included in this year's vaccine. This is the first season that H1N1 has circulated at high levels since the pandemic in 2009.

Typically, the flu continues to spread in January and peaks either in January or February before tapering off. The CDC expects that the flu season will continue for some time, especially in parts of the country that are seeing recent increases in flu and those that have yet to experience significant activity

The CDC emphasizes that anyone aged six months or older who has not received a flu shot should get one now.

To learn more, click here. 

Flu Season Peak Approaching

According to the CDC, 35 states are reporting widespread flu activity. To be considered widespread, flu activity needs to be reported in more than 50 percent of a state's geographic regions. The most severe activity is in the South and Southwest.

According to the CDC, this year's flu season is less severe than last year's and is fairly typical. The only thing out of the ordinary is that the most common strain of flu this year is H1N1. After causing a pandemic in 2009, H1N1 has established itself in the human population and is no longer referred to as swine flu. In fact, it's become so common that it was included in this year's vaccine.

Typically, the flu continues to spread in January and peaks either in January or February before tapering off.

To learn more, click here.

Five Strategies for Combating Flu At Home

You take all of the recommended steps to keep flu from spreading in the facility where you work, but what about your home?

The following five strategies can help you defend your house against the flu: 

1. Keep your home's relative humidity level at 40 to 60 percent. Low humidity levels can contribute to the flu virus's survival. 
2. Invest in a germicidal UV light. These gadgets can inactivate microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses. 
3. Purchase an air purifier. Air purifiers can remove the smallest microbes from the air, reducing harmful airborne germs. 
4. Disinfect surfaces. This will physically remove germs from surfaces. Look for EPA-registered disinfectants. 
5. Wash linens. The flu virus can live for several hours on surfaces and even longer on porous materials like towels, washcloths, blankets and linens. Wash your linens in hot water and dry them on a hot setting. 

To learn more, click here. 

Study: LTC Residents See Greater Benefit from High-Dose Flu Vaccine

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have found that elderly people in long-term care facilities see a greater antibody boost when they receive a high-dose flu vaccine versus a standard vaccine.

The two-year study involved 200 LTC residents between the ages of 86 and 87, all of whom required assistance with many ADLs. During the first year of the study, participants' antibody levels for all three flu strains (A, B and H1N1) were much higher after 30 days if they received the high-dose vaccine. During the second year, participants saw boosted antibody levels against A-strain and B-strain flu, but not H1N1. The researchers explained that this could be because some participants took part in both years of the study, so they were already vaccinated against H1N1 the first year.

To learn more, click here.

It's Time to Fight the Flu

It’s October 1, which means flu season is officially underway. According to the CDC, it will most likely spike in January or February before coming to a close in May, but being prepared now can help you lessen the flu’s effects on your facility.

The CDC recommends taking the following steps to help prevent flu and other respiratory infections from spreading throughout your facility¹: 

 Promote and administer the seasonal flu vaccine. The CDC recommends the flu vaccine as the best defense against the seasonal flu. The vaccine is approved for everyone six months of age and older. The vaccine will be available as intramuscular, intradermal and nasal spray formulations.

 Take steps to minimize potential exposure. Respiratory hygiene, cough etiquette and proper hand hygiene should be observed by residents, staff and visitors. (One way to encourage respiratory hygiene is to download the CDC’s “Cover Your Cough” poster here.)

Monitor and manage ill staff members. Staff members who develop a fever and respiratory symptoms should not come to work. If the symptoms develop at work, they should stop all resident-care activities, don a facemask and notify their supervisor of their illness before leaving work.

Adhere to standard precautions. Standard precautions assume that every person is potentially infected or colonized with a pathogen that could spread throughout the facility. The elements of standard precautions that pertain to individuals with respiratory infections are performing hand hygiene and wearing gloves and gowns.

Adhere to droplet precautions. Droplet precautions should be implemented for residents with suspected or confirmed influenza for seven days after illness onset or until 24 hours after the resolution of fever and respiratory symptoms, whichever is longer.

Use caution when performing aerosol-generating procedures. Some procedures are more likely to generate higher concentrations of infectious respiratory aerosols than coughing, sneezing, talking or breathing. Examples include bronchoscopy, sputum induction, elective intubation and extubation, CPR and open suctioning of airways. These procedures should only be performed on residents with suspected or confirmed influenza if they are medically necessary and cannot be postponed.

Manage visitor access and movement within the facility. If a resident is in isolation for a confirmed case of influenza, their visitors should be limited to people who are necessary for their emotional well-being and care.

Monitor influenza activity. The facility should have a plan for alerting staff about increased influenza activity within the facility. Staff should also be aware of when collection of clinical specimens for viral culture could help public health efforts. Close communication and collaboration with local health authorities is recommended.

Implement environmental infection control. Standard cleaning and disinfection procedures are adequate for influenza virus environmental control within a healthcare facility, including patient areas in which aerosol-generating procedures are performed.

Implement engineering controls. Consider installing engineering controls that reduce or eliminate exposure by shielding staff and residents from infected individuals. Examples include partitions and curtains.

Train and educate healthcare personnel. Ensure that all healthcare providers receive job- or task-specific education and training on the prevention of influenza during orientation and on an ongoing basis.

 Administer antiviral treatment and chemoprophylaxis when appropriate. Refer to the CDC’s website for the most up-to-date information and guidance.

Identify personnel at higher risk for influenza complications. Staff members who are pregnant, have given birth within the last two weeks, are 65 or older or have chronic diseases such as asthma, heart disease, diabetes, immunity-suppressing diseases, some chronic conditions and morbid obesity are at higher risk of flu complications.

Professional Medical has everything you need to develop a comprehensive flu prevention and management strategy for your facility! To learn more, contact your territory manager, visit us online at promedsupply.com or give us a call at (800) 648-5190. Click here to download our Flu Prevention Strategies & Solutions Guide. 

Reference

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevention Strategies for Seasonal Influenza in Healthcare Settings. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/healthcaresettings.htm. Accessed September 11, 2013. 

Seniors Falling Short on Getting Flu, Pneumonia Vaccines

Overall, seniors in the U.S. are doing a great job of taking care of their health, but they're still falling short when it comes to flu and pneumonia vaccinations, according to a CDC report.

As of 2010, about 68 percent of seniors had received a pneumonia vaccine at some point in their lives. Sixty-seven percent reported receiving a flu vaccination in the previous year. The CDC's goal for seniors is 96 percent. 

To learn more, click here. 

Flu Vaccine Only Effective for 9% of Seniors This Year

This year's flu vaccine was woefully ineffective for seniors, according to new figures released by the CDC.

A survey of nearly 2,700 adults and children revealed that the vaccine was effective for only 9 percent of recipients age 65 and older. According to the CDC, this means it protected a "statistically insignificant" number of seniors from needing outpatient medical attention for the flu. This could be because seniors did not respond to the vaccine's Influenza A (H3N2) component.

This year's flu-related death rate for seniors reached extremely high levels. Traditionally, seniors are more severely affected by the flu and often less responsive to the vaccine than younger people. However, the CDC cautions that this should not be seen as a reason to discredit the need for the vaccine.

To learn more, click here.

Great News: Flu Has Peaked In Chicago

The Director of the Chicago Department of Public Health has said that the city's flu season is "winding down" after getting off to an early and active start. This is certainly welcome news for a city that, like most of the nation, has been suffering the effects of a particularly nasty strain of flu and has even had to reroute patients when emergency rooms hit their capacity.

In addition to Chicago, data shows that the flu is decreasing across most parts of the country.

Despite this good news, the CDC is still anticipating the flu season will get worse for the elderly population before it shows signs of improvement. Seniors account for more than half of all flu-related hospitalizations.

To learn more, click here.

Flu-Related Fatality Rate Hits Record High for Seniors

The CDC is reporting that this is the worst flu season for seniors since they started tracking the 65-and-older flu-related death rate in 2005.

Last week, the fatality rate for laboratory-confirmed influenza cases among seniors reached 116 per 100,000. The previous record was 90 deaths per 100,000. Seniors also account for more than half of all flu-related hospitalizations.

While the national flu-related hospitalization rate is leveling off, the CDC anticipates that the worst is still to come for the elderly population.

To learn more, click here.

Flu Hospitalizations In Elderly Up, Immunization in LTC Workers Low

Only about half of long-term care workers have received the flu vaccine, according to new information from the CDC. This is especially worrisome considering that the flu has hit the elderly hard this year.

Hospitalizations related to laboratory-confirmed flu cases among those 65 and older have reached a rate of 82 per 100,000 people. By comparison, the rate for all age groups is 19 per 100,000 people. The CDC notes that these figures are undoubtedly low because influenza-rated hospitalizations can be missed because of lack of testing or because cases may be attributed to other illnesses.

The CDC's vaccination data notes that only about 50 percent of long-term care workers have received the flu vaccine, compared to 85 percent of pharmacists, doctors and nurses. They point out that vaccination routinely reaches 90 percent or higher at facilities that provide the flu vaccine during work hours.

To learn more, click here.

Got Flu? Get Resources from Flu.gov

The Department of Health & Human Services has plenty of tools to help you handle a flu outbreak in your facility. In fact, they've created a website for just that purpose - Flu.gov.

On the site, you'll find information on symptoms, prevention and vaccination, at-risk groups (including seniors), up-to-date information on the current flu season, and planning and preparation (including this information specifically for healthcare professionals). 

You'll also find a newsroom, videos and other resources. It's a one-stop shop for battling the flu - check it out! 

Protect Your Facility from the Flu

The flu season, which typically peaks in January or February, is off to an early, vicious start. The CDC is reporting that flu activity is continuing to increase across the U.S. and that most of the country is now experiencing high levels of influenza-like illness.¹ The situation has gotten so severe in some areas that hospitals have been forced to go on bypass status, rerouting non-critical patients to other hospitals because their emergency rooms are at capacity with patients complaining of flu-like symptoms.

Seniors are more susceptible to flu due to their weakened immune systems. Ninety percent of flu-related deaths and more than half of flu-related hospitalizations are in people age 65 years and older.²

The CDC recommends taking the following steps to help prevent flu and other respiratory infections from spreading throughout your facility³:

1. Post signs around the facility that instruct residents and visitors to alert staff members if they have any symptoms of a respiratory infection.
2. Ensure that hand hygiene and other necessary items are within easy reach.
• Place alcohol-based hand-rub dispensers in convenient locations throughout your building.
• Provide tissues and no-touch receptacles for disposing of used tissues.
• Make sure that supplies for handwashing (i.e., soap and disposable towels) are readily available at all sinks.
3. Encourage residents, staff and visitors to perform proper respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette, including:
• Covering the mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (to download a handy "Cover Your Cough" poster from the CDC, click here).
• Placing used tissues in the closest waste receptacle after use.
• Performing hand hygiene (with alcohol-based hand rub, antiseptic handwash or non-antimicrobial soap and water) after having contact with respiratory secretions or contaminated objects or surfaces.
4. Offer masks to residents who are coughing to contain respiratory secretions. 
5. Advise your staff to observe Droplet Precautions (i.e., wearing a mask during close contact) in addition to Standard Precautions when they are with residents who have symptoms of a respiratory infection, particularly if a fever is present.

The CDC also recommends the flu vaccine as the best defense against the seasonal flu. The vaccine is approved for everyone six months of age and older. 

References

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Situation Update: Summary of Weekly FluView. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/summary.htm. Accessed January 9, 2013.

2 Flu.gov. Seniors. Available at: http://www.flu.gov/at-risk/seniors/index.html. Accessed January 9, 2013.


3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette in Healthcare Settings. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/resphygiene.htm. Accessed January 9, 2013. 

What to Do - and What Not to Do - When You Have the Flu

There are plenty of old wives' tales on how to ease flu symptoms. Which of them can actually help, and which aren't worth wasting your time?

Five things worth trying

1. Antivirals. Tamiflu and Relenza have been shown to cut a day or two off the time you spend suffering from the flu. 
2. Analgesics. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen can reduce fever and help ease muscle aches, but patients who have asthma, high blood pressure or other chronic conditions should check with a doctor to ensure it's safe to take them. 
3. Fluids. Clear liquids such as water, broth and sports drinks can help prevent dehydration. 
4. OTC remedies. Decongestants and antihistamines can help ease runny noses, congestion and coughing. 
5. Rest. The best thing to do for yourself and others if you have the flu or a bad cold is to stay home and rest. That way, you won't spread germs - and admit it, you probably wouldn't be that effective at work feeling the way that you do. 

Five things to forget 

1. Herbal supplements. There's very little evidence that any of them work and it's hard to get concrete evidence because they come in different formulations, sometimes even from different types of plants. 
2. Zinc: Again, the different formulations of zinc make it difficult to definitely say whether it boosts the immune system, as claimed. The FDA recommends against using it in the nasal gel form because it can lead to a permanent loss of smell. 
3. Cough syrup: The American Lung Association cautions that there is no evidence that guaifenesin, an expectorant, can help ease a cough. The American College of Chest Physicians recommends against using any cough syrup. 
4. Cold remedies for kids: The FDA says OTC cold, flu and cough remedies shouldn't be given to children under 2 and the Infectious Diseases Society of America says not to give them to kids under 4. 
5. Vitamins: Ultra-high doses of Vitamin C, the supposed cure-all, can lead to diarrhea. There are no major studies that prove Vitamin C can shorten the duration of a cold. Ditto for Vitamin E. 

To learn more, click here.

Flu Now Widespread in 47 States

According to the CDC, the flu is now widespread in 47 states, up from 41 last week. Twenty-four states and New York City are reporting high levels of flu-like illness, which is actually a decrease from 29 states and NYC last week.

The CDC cautions that people shouldn't be too optimistic about the decline in high levels of flu as the illness is unpredictable and could easily rebound or worsen.

Since October, 3,700 people have been hospitalized for the flu, most of which were people older than 65

To learn more, click here.

Overwhelmed By Flu Bug, Chicago ERs Reroute Non-Critical Patients

According to the Chicago Tribune, seven Chicago-area hospitals are so overwhelmed by an influx of patients with flu-like symptoms that they had to re-route non-critical patients to other hospitals this morning.

Doctors at the hospitals are reminding citizens that the flu in and of itself is not a reason to visit the emergency room. Typically, emergency attention is not necessary unless the flu is accompanied by a shortness of breath or the patient has another serious illness, such as heart disease. Instead, flu sufferers should first contact their healthcare provider or local health department.

Illinois is among the 29 states that the CDC listed as experiencing "high" flu activity as of last Friday.

To learn more, click here.

Flu Season Off To an Early Start

The CDC has reported that flu season is off to an early start in the U.S. Typically, flu season peaks around January or February, but the agency began to see significant increases in flu activity beginning in late November. 

According to the CDC's most recent FluView influenza surveillance report, dated December 22, 31 states have reported widespread flu activity. There was also an increase in outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI). 

The CDC recommends that anyone six months or older get the flu vaccine to lessen their chances of contracting the illness. The agency also recommends taking the following steps to help prevent flu and other respiratory infections from spreading throughout your facility: 

1. Post signs around the facility to instruct residents and visitors to alert staff members if they have any symptoms of a respiratory infection.
2. Ensure that hand hygiene and other necessary items are within easy reach.
   • Place alcohol-based hand-rub dispensers in convenient locations throughout your building.
   • Provide tissues and no-touch receptacles for disposing of used tissues.
   • Make sure that supplies for handwashing (i.e., soap and disposable towels) are readily available at all sinks.
3. Encourage residents, staff and visitors to perform proper respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette. This entails:
   • Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (to download a handy "Cover Your Cough" poster from the CDC, click here).
   • Placing used tissues in the closest waste receptacle after use.
   • Performing hand hygiene (with alcohol-based hand rub, antiseptic handwash or non-antimicrobial soap and water) after having contact with respiratory secretions or contaminated objects or surfaces.
4. Offer masks to residents who are coughing to contain respiratory secretions.
5. Advise your staff to observe Droplet Precautions (i.e., wearing a mask during close contact) in addition to Standard Precautions when they are with residents who have symptoms of a respiratory infection, particularly if a fever is present.