OSDH encourages public to get vaccinated for flu, COVID-19

Oct. 12—The influenza season is upon those living in North America, and with the holidays coming, medical providers and state health officials are encouraging Oklahoma residents to get their COVID-19 and flu shots.

Kendra Dougherty, director of the Infectious Disease Prevention and Response for the Oklahoma State Department of Health, said flu season started the first week of October and will last until the third week of May.

"What that means is that we expect that flu activity will be the greatest during that time frame, but the actual timing of when that activity increases varies from year-to-year," Dougherty said. "You'll see a big increase in October and we'll peak in November and December, though in some years it doesn't peak until February."

Myka Saltsman, interim director of Immunization Service at OSDH, said it is important for residents to get immunized as soon as they can as it takes a couple of weeks for the vaccine to trigger antibodies that fight off the disease.

"We encourage individuals to receive a flu shot in helping to prevent illness," Saltsman said. "However, even if an individual does develop an illness after receiving the flu shot, it does help and decrease the number of days that a person is ill and prevent severe illness, such as hospitalization or death."

Saltsman said individuals who wait until the holidays to get the vaccine won't benefit from its full protection.

She said this year's flu shot is quadrivalent, meaning it covers four strains of the influenza virus, and that it is particularly effective at warding off the disease.

"They are the same used during the Summer of 2023 Southern Hemisphere season and are considered to be a good match to what circulated in that timeframe," she said. "But we won't know exactly how the vaccine performs in the U.S. until next year, probably around February."

Dougherty said COVID-19 passed its summer peak, but numbers could easily jump back up if residents forego their boosters.

"COVID numbers thankfully are on the decline. Flu numbers are still very low and at the same level we'd expect this time of year," she said. "Unfortunately, the respiratory season is very unpredictable, and we really aren't able to say with any certainty at all how severe it's going to be."

The State of Oklahoma is also monitoring Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

Those interested in monitoring influenza, COVID-19, and RSV numbers in Oklahoma can visit "OK ViralView: Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary," a web page from the OSDH which updates weekly illness cases every Thursday until the third week of May.

"We recommend washing or sanitizing your hands frequently throughout the day," Dougherty said. "If you are at high risk for any of these kinds of respiratory illnesses, we really encourage you to speak to your health care provider early."

She said fever is the hallmark symptom for the flu, so she recommends that people be on the lookout if they are experiencing fever or other symptoms.

"Your headache is going to be really severe. You're going to have severe body aches or severe chills. You can have congestion and coughing, but they will be on the severe end," she said.

Saltsman said vaccination is the best prevention against flu.

"If an individual is hesitant to receive a flu vaccination, they should talk with their primary health care provider about their concerns," she said.

Saltsman said the influenza vaccine is offered by way of nasal spray for those who are averse to needles, and that patients can receive the flu and COVID-19 vaccinations on the same day.

"Most commercial insurances should cover the COVID-19 vaccine. If an individual is unsure whether or not their insurance covers it. They should reach out to their carrier to ensure the coverage is there before going to get the vaccination," she said.

Those who don't have insurance or have insurance that doesn't cover the vaccine may be eligible to get their vaccines at the Cleveland County Health Department.

"The Cleveland County Health Department does have a limited availability of vaccines for adults that would be uninsured or underinsured," she said. "The insured population as of yet is not able to receive a vaccine at the Cleveland County Health Department."

She said that those with insurance should visit a pharmacy like CVS or Walgreens or ask their primary care provider if they carry the vaccines.

The Cleveland County Health Department will admit children under 18 who qualify for the Vaccines for Children program from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which requires recipients of no-cost vaccines to be under 18-years old and eligible for Medicaid, underinsured, uninsured, or Native American or Alaska Native.

"We have coverage for that population of children," she said.

Brian King covers education and politics for The Transcript. Reach him at bking@normantranscript.com.