Thus, in the United States, health agencies are urging the most vulnerable and older people to get vaccinated once morest the flu if they have not already done so. Thus, the American Heart Association®, the American Lung Association® and the American Diabetes Association® are joining forces to urge those most at risk to get vaccinated. Compared to last year’s flu season, considered milder, the United States recorded at the end of January, more than 3 times more flu-related deaths. Although seasonal influenza activity is tending to subside, the influenza season is expected to continue well into spring.
A seasonal flu 3 times more deadly
Experts remind that in many people with chronic illnesses, the flu leads to serious complications, a high risk of hospitalization and in some cases, death. The latest CDC statistics show that regarding 9 in 10 people hospitalized with the flu had at least one underlying medical condition. These underlying health conditions associated with increased risk of flu complications include heart disease, history of stroke, type 1 or type 2 diabetes, obesity, and chronic lung disease. such as asthma, cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
“Adults with cardiovascular disease are at high risk of complications if they catch the flu”insists one of the lead authors, Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, Chief Medical Officer of Prevention for the American Heart Association. “If you have heart disease and you haven’t had a flu shot,
your risk of heart attack is multiplied by 6 in the week following the infection”.
The flu vaccine can be doubly protective: once morest complications and chronic forms of the flu.
“Even a ‘minor’ respiratory virus can be very aggressive to someone with lung disease”adds a co-author, Dr. Albert Rizzo, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association. “Nearly a third of people hospitalized with the flu have diabetes”adds Dr. Robert Gabbay, scientific and medical director of the American Diabetes Association. “Any chronic disease can pose a threat to someone with diabetes, especially since many diabetes patients suffer from co-morbidities like heart disease and kidney disease. »
And the surroundings? Experts remind that relatives of vulnerable people should also get vaccinated. Ditto for the COVID vaccine: it is important, while the SARS-CoV-2 virus has become endemic, to also stay up to date with the COVID vaccine.