Virginia braces for tougher flu season
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It could be a rough flu season in Virginia due to a new strain of the virus.
Why it matters: Experts are worried that it doesn't match the strain used to create this year's flu vaccine.
Driving the news: The new strain, a version of H3N2, emerged over the summer.
- And it's already been detected in cases of people traveling through Virginia, says Lisa Sollot, a respiratory disease program coordinator with the Virginia Department of Health.
- It's now the most-reported flu virus in the U.S., per the CDC, which has had delayed reports due to the government shutdown.
What they're saying: "I think we have a pretty good level of certainty that it's probably circulating in every state at this point," Sollot tells Axios.
- "We are worried that it could get bad and fast, especially since last year was such a high-severity season."
Threat level: Overall flu activity in Virginia is low right now, but it's trending up, Sollot says.
- And flu-driven ER visits in the state are higher than ones for COVID-19 or RSV, per the state's dashboard.
Getting vaxxed is still recommended, Sollot says, noting "some protection is better than none."
- Plus, some early data suggests there's been some vaccine effectiveness against the H3N2 strain.
Yes, but: Just 17% of Virginians have gotten a flu shot so far this year, per VDH's dashboard.
Of note: Because H3N2 is a strain of influenza A, the symptoms are similar to those of the regular flu (sore throat, runny nose, fever, muscle aches).
- But the only way to know for sure if it's the flu versus a cold is to get tested by a health care provider, Sollot says.
Flashback: The U.S. experienced the worst flu season since 2009 last year, leaving hundreds of thousands of Americans hospitalized.
The bottom line: Get a flu shot, wash your hands, stay home if you're sick and mask up if you want to this flu season.