With Flu Peaking, It’s Not Too Late To Get Vaccinated

HARWICH – Based on the most recently available preliminary data, emergency departments on Cape Cod saw 330 visits in a single week related to acute respiratory disease, including influenza. That’s a lot of miserable people suffering with fever, cough, sore throats, aches and fatigue. 

 The good news is that it’s not too late to get a flu shot, experts say.

 “Flu season begins in October and runs through May,” said Gretchen Eckel, director of population health at Outer Cape Health Services. “Most patients benefit from receiving their vaccine in October in order to build their immunity,” which usually peaks about two weeks after vaccination, protecting them from the peak flu season between December and February. “Individuals who haven’t received the vaccine have not missed their opportunity yet,” Eckel said.

 Unfortunately, that’s the majority of people. According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, less than 35 percent of the state population had been vaccinated against influenza as of Jan. 3. 

 This season’s flu vaccine was made using three strains that were predominant in the 2024-2025 flu season, not the influenza variant currently circulating in Massachusetts, an H3N2 strain known as “subclade K.”

 “While it’s not a direct match to the three strains above in our current vaccination, it is close enough to prevent severe disease, reducing the likelihood of hospitalization or severe complication with the vaccine on board in your immune system,” Eckel said. In other words, “there is enough similarity between the vaccine and the subclade K variant to provoke a primed immune response, which could make your flu experience more mild and less troublesome,” she said.

 Influenza is showing up in area schools as well, but not to an unusual degree, according to Monomoy Regional School District Nurse Leader Cheryl Dufault. 

"We are getting reports of flu, some with confirmation from a medical professional and others are reports from parents without laboratory confirmation,” she said. The school’s policy stipulates that students must be fever-free for at least 24 hours, without benefit of fever-reducing medication, before they can return to classes. “In general, we are seeing the usual increase in transmission following the holidays,” Dufault said.

 For some, a bout with the flu is more than a seasonal inconvenience. For people with weakened or immature immune systems, it can cause serious respiratory problems and other complications. Among those who need to be particularly careful are children under 2 and adults over 65, pregnant women, people with chronic lung, heart, liver or kidney disease, people with HIV or cancer, and those taking drugs that suppress the immune system. People living in nursing homes or long-term care facilities are also more vulnerable, as are members of some ethnic minorities.

 In addition to staying current with vaccines, people can reduce the spread of influenza by frequently washing hands and practicing cough and sneeze etiquette by coughing into the elbow, not the hand. Opening windows or using air filters can also help. People showing symptoms of the flu should stay home if possible or otherwise consider wearing a mask or practicing social distancing. When in doubt, consult with a doctor.