WASHINGTON D.C. >> With flu season just a couple of months out the best time to prepare is now say medical experts. Dr. Mandy K. Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention answered questions about what Americans can expect this fall from Dr. Bruce Scott, president of the American Medical Association which sponsored a webinar on August 5.
“I’ll talk about treatments so, if someone gets sick we do have tools but vaccines cut the risk of hospitalization for COVID-19, Flu and Respiratory Syncytial Virus by 70% in adults and 90% for babies,” Cohen said. “But what we have seen from research, is one of the major reasons someone does not get a vaccine is, ‘my doctor did not recommend it so, I assume it is not that important for me.’ But making that strong recommendation for vaccination, doesn’t have to be an hour-long conversation but just, ‘I got new vaccines today (Flu, COVID-19 and RSV) and I recommend those too.’ But we’re also seeing reasons providers don’t recommend vaccines is that some providers think there is a contraindicatory affect. But that is exceptionally rare, one per million vaccinated.”
But best practices to get the vaccines into the workflow is to use reminders calls. When a primary care provider recommends vaccine a patient may not say yes initially but it keeps the door open to a vaccine. Yet those who fall into the over 65 age group are vulnerable in a way younger people are not especially those with heart disease and diabetes or pregnant women who fall outside the gestation age of 32 to 36 weeks.
Another challenge is cost Cohen pointed out. “We know we have the ability cover COVID-19, flu and RSV, they should be free for those who receive Medicaid. And many private insurers are required by law to cover these without a co-pay or a co-insurer. And Medicare recipients are also covered as long as they choose an ‘in network’ provider. And more focus is directed increasingly on the highest risk groups, marginalized communities, Blacks, Latinos, rural residents. “Although we are usually talking about the fall/winter seasons, there is a fair amount of COVID-19 now,” Cohen said. “We got the tools and we’re tracking the numbers admitted to the ER’s and getting clinician team members to target messaging, if someone gets sick, we can treat them. Yet seeing improved vaccination numbers also cuts down the hospitalizations required.”
Dr. Bruce Scott, AMA president then fielded question from public commentors. The first inquired if this season shaped up to be more severe than the four prior years. “We look at the southern hemisphere where the flu is now, ” Cohen said, but cautioned it doesn’t always hold the same for the northern hemisphere. But they expect a late October start that now has expectations to be a typical flu. season. Scott also relayed a question of how to prepare for patients who previously rejected vaccinations? Cohen noted primary care physician sought to share what they do for themselves and their families. Also new real world data uncovered last year advises those over 65 and with compromising conditions such as heart disease or diabetes to get RSV vaccine this year.
Other potential threat is Avian flu noted Dr. Daskalakis. But this concern is mainly among agricultural workers particularly in poultry processing plants and advised heightened awareness but assured there have been no transmissions of human-to-human Avian Flu.
However, what saves more lives than anything is vaccination Cohen reminded, why nearly 95% of funding is focused there. Other proven methods she stressed were stay home if feeling ill, wear masks, use hand sanitizer and update HVAC air circulation systems at the appropriate season. Another question inquired what could be done to improve outcomes at nursing homes. Again, the emphasis was on vaccination rates and improve outcomes through integrating electronic health files with patient’s personal knowledge. Also, recommended is co-administering all three inoculations at the same time and place as there was no evidence of counterindications or blunting of the immunological response. But for those recently recovering from COVID-19 they are advised to delaying three months before getting an additional shot since they had their last positive test.
As for final preparation for this fall’s season Dr. Cohen placed responsibility on everybody to take the initiative. Clinics and pharmacies ought to stock up on vaccines now. But also make strong recommendations about getting inoculations, answer all patient questions as well as enter into a dialogue rather than just pronouncing orders and if a patients has compromising health conditions such as heart disease or diabetes thoroughly review what their vulnerabilities are.
