YLE mentions that a different variant of H3N2 became common after the H3N2 part of this year’s influenza vaccine was chosen. This means that the H3N2 part of the vaccine is likely to be less effective this year, although still better than no vaccine.
In addition, a human case of H5N5 bird flu has been seen.
Here’s a link about the avian flu case:
In another thread, there was a reminder that Tamaflu needs to be taken in first few days of illness. What are the best clues for knowing that an illness is the flu?
There are now rapid antigen tests available in the US that test for influenza A, influenza B, and COVID-19. (In some other countries, there are 6- or 9-pathogen rapid antigen tests available which include additional pathogens like RSV, adenovirus, parainfluenza, etc..)
Having some tests around and using them when getting a feverish illness with respiratory symptoms can help determine what it is (or is not).
No idea if this is actually true but I’ve always been told flu hits like a ton of bricks with no warning unlike say a cold where you feel like you might be getting sick for a day or two until you do. The one time I had flu this was true for me - felt fine, got to work and suddenly felt terrible. Made it through the day but barely and then was in bed for a week. About as sick as I’ve ever been - and I’ve mostly gotten flu shots ever since, even before it was really a thing (I was in my 30’s at the time). Knock wood haven’t had flu since, at least that I know of and if I did it was mild.
That was my exact experience with the flu when I had it many years ago. Not sure if our N = 2 is truly representative.
I second keeping a couple of those lateral flow tests on hand and calling your doctor or going to an urgent care if a test is positive.
I recently had a lonnnng cold, and after almost 2 weeks I went to urgent care. Was treated as a sinus infection. Didn’t seem like prior ones, but the antibiotics (and cough med and abuterol) did the trick. Prior to the appointment, I did a home self test for covid/flu… and that was helpful for the PA being able to rule out those possiblities.
I had the flu once early in my career and it put me in bed for over a week. Like others said I have continued to get a flu shot each year because I never want to feel like that again. I was no where near as sick when I had Covid. The flu was not like a cold for me. I ran a high fever, had terrible body aches and barely ate while I was sick.
So is it fair to summarize that typically if no fever it’s not flu?
Flu commonly but not universally comes with fever, while colds only rarely come with fever.
Flu (Influenza): Causes, Symptoms, Types & Treatment contains a chart of symptoms of flu, colds, and COVID-19. However, a set of symptoms may be ambiguous (plus there are other things like RSV that can give similar symptoms), so testing may be the only way to find out for sure (but at home tests are limited to flu and COVID-19 in the US).
Thanks. Followup question. Do the flu and covid tests pick up all types? Or just those planned for in vaccines?
The COVID-19 antigen tests are supposed to be sensitive to Omicron variants. The flu rapid antigen tests separately test for A and B varieties of flu.
Phase 3 trial of an mRNA flu vaccine finds it more effective than current flu vaccine, but also causes more local reactions. (Note: many of the authors of the paper are affiliated with Pfizer, so if this vaccine comes to market, it is likely to be from Pfizer.)
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2416779?query=featured_home
I think this chart was from the olden days when the CDC was acting responsibly.
We can be quick to want to “stamp” an illness with a name/variety. Best to treat the symptoms individually for any illness.
There are 9 way rapid antigen tests (including adenovirus that many colds are, COVID-19, flu A, flu B, and RSV). Unfortunately, they are not available in the US – only at most 3 way tests (COVID-19, flu A, and flu B) can be gotten in the US.
Pediatric flu vaccination rates have been falling since 2019, and this year appears to be no exception.
Apparently some strain of H3N2, although not the same strain, has been part of the flu vaccine for many years. One thing I have wondered about is the extent to which various flu vaccines from the past still provide some partial if incomplete protection against current flu seasons.
I had a bad pneumonia about 35 years ago. Because of this I have now had the flu vaccine every year for 34 years. It does seem like the consistency of this has helped with each flu season. I have not had a serious case of flu in 34 years.
Perhaps we don’t really know for sure how much all of this helps until we either get sick or don’t get sick.
I continue to think that people who are most likely to be exposed to sick animals, such as veterinarians and zoo keepers, should be considered for vaccination against diseases that are common in animals but that only rarely jump to humans. I suppose that there is a significant cost to prepare the vaccines even in a very limited quantity.
This is done with rabies vaccine. However, developing a new vaccine for something that has not been encountered before (e.g. bird flu) is a bigger barrier to this than using a vaccine that already exists (e.g. rabies).
