Flu

Kevin Day, PharmD, president of Day’s Miami Heights Pharmacy in Cincinnati, Ohio, discusses how his independent pharmacy is gearing up for influenza season while continuing to deliver COVID-19 vaccines safely.

Since the start of the pandemic, politicization and misinformation have led to hesitancy about the COVID-19 vaccine. However, vaccine hesitancy is not a new behavior.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased vigilance over the proper disposal of vaccine-related materials, such as vials, needles, syringes, and bandages.

Individuals with COVID-19 who had not had a flu shot were up to 20% more likely to be admitted to the ICU and were up to 58% more likely to visit the emergency department.

As COVID-19 vaccination efforts continue, it is more important than ever for pharmacists to be equipped with the knowledge and resources to bust the myths surrounding vaccinations, particularly in preparation for the upcoming influenza season, which is expected to occur from October 2021 to May 2022.

The study plans to enroll approximately 180 participants to evaluate the safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of its quadrivalent seasonal influenza mRNA vaccine in adults 18 years and older.

While the exact reason for the decreased immune response in middle-aged adults remains unclear, these findings suggest that this patient population may be continuously susceptible to the 3c2A H3N2 infection, even with immunization.

Both strains of Influenza A for the northern hemisphere vaccines will be different from those included last season.

The researchers said that the findings should renew efforts to assure flu vaccination is a routine part of quality cardiovascular care.

Idaho State University partners with the Idaho Immunization Coalition to effectively and safely vaccinate patients against influenza.

After the implementation of measures to stop COVID-19, newly detected respiratory viruses were approximately 80% lower compared to the same time period from 2015 to 2019.

Patients who received a flu shot during the last flu season were significantly less likely to test positive for a COVID-19 infection at the start of the pandemic, according to a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control.

A new, easy-to-deliver mRNA treatment can be delivered to the lungs through the use of a nebulizer.

The estimate is based on a new analysis of out-of-pocket costs for influenza-related hospitalizations in 2018 that were paid by people with Medicare Advantage plans, which are Medicare plans run by private insurance companies.

Pharmacists can learn from previous mistakes to prepare for COVID-19 vaccination campaigns.

Influenza treatment with antivirals was presented during a virtual symposium held in conjunction with the first virtual ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition.

Three international cardiovascular outcomes trials are currently examining the cardioprotective effects of different influenza vaccine formulations.

Four patient cases involving OTC treatments are presented.

All the states that passed laws require flu vaccines to be offered to hospital employees.

Macrophages could be critical treatment targets because they could be infected by SARS-CoV-2 and can contribute to spreading the infection through the lung.

B.1.1.7, or otherwise known as VOC 202012/01, may lead to a large increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States and may become the dominant strain of the virus in the coming months.

For patients with COVID-19, mitochondria are one of the first lines of defense in fighting the virus.

Approximately one-third of children with COVID-19 are asymptomatic, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Alberta.

Moderna, Inc has also announced temporary authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine in Switzerland.

The study authors said their main hypothesis for the higher prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in mild COVID-19 cases was based on differences in the immune response to the infection.

Despite fringe conspiracy theories that circulated online, COVID-19 carries a greater risk of health problems than the flu.

Reports indicate a mortality rate of up to 28% among solid organ transplant patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019.

Pharmacy Times® interviewed Alan Green, the US head of sales, infectious disease at AstraZeneca, on the Flu+Force campaign and the resources it provides to help pharmacists develop alternative flu vaccination sites.

An individual’s response to the flu virus is largely shaped by preexisting immunity.

Emphasizing the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine to younger generations and those with no underlying health conditions could significantly increase the overall rate of vaccination in the United States.