With flu season soon upon us, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has shared tips and advice to make sure your staff, residents, and patients are prepared. While it is difficult to predict what the flu season will bring, flu activity typically peaks between December and February. There are important steps you and your resident/patients can take to stay healthy this season.

VDH recommends that Virginia residents take precautions to fight the flu, including:

• Vaccination is recommended for all persons aged > 6 months, especially those who are at high risk for flu-related complications or take care of someone at high risk for flu complications. The 2017-2018 trivalent influenza vaccine will contain:
  • A/Michigan/45/2015 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus
  • A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 (H3N2)-like virus
  • B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus (Victoria lineage)
  • Note: this represents a change in the influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 virus component from the previous season.

• The quadrivalent vaccines will contain the above three strains plus an additional vaccine virus strain, a B/Phuket/3073/2013–like virus (Yamagata lineage).
• The intranasal live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), commonly known as “FluMist”, continues to not be recommended for use this season.
• There have been two new vaccine product approvals (Afluria Quadrivalent and Flublok Quadrivalent) and an expansion to the age indication for FluLaval Quadrivalent (from > 3 years to > 6 months)
• Where more than one type of vaccine is appropriate and available, VDH and CDC make no preferential recommendation for use of any influenza vaccine product over another.
• Pregnant women may receive any licensed, recommended, age-appropriate influenza vaccine.
• Ideally, vaccination should occur before onset of flu activity in the community, but vaccination efforts should continue throughout the season.
• Some groups, like young adults, historically have low vaccination rates.
• Please encourage your patients to receive their flu shot!
• We also encourage healthy behaviors like washing your hands and covering your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow.
• It’s also important to stay home from work or school if you’re sick and limit your contact with ill people.

For additional information, please see:

• VDH Website: Influenza in Virginia
• Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2017–18 Influenza Season