Flu Prevention: Vaccinate and Wash Hands

4 August 2010

Flu Prevention: Vaccinate and Wash Hands

With the influenza season now here the Ministry of Health is recommending last minute vaccination and reminding New Zealanders about the importance of basic hygiene, like regular handwashing.

Latest information shows that we are now in our second wave of pandemic influenza, with influenza activity increasing significantly. In some areas, particularly in most of the top half of the North Island there has been a marked increase in influenza-like illness and other respiratory illness.

The Ministry will be updating tomorrow the number of people hospitalised from influenza.  As of last week it was 158 people had been admitted to hospital this year.

Director of Public Health Dr Mark Jacobs says that so far the second wave has been patchy- some parts of the country are seeing lots of influenza, while other areas aren't seeing much yet. It may be that parts of New Zealand which saw a bit less influenza last year will see more this time around.  

Dr Jacobs says while it is a relatively crude guide, it's quite likely that DHBs with lower rates of hospitalisations last year could have greater numbers of people still susceptible to the disease, and so higher rates this year.

Three DHBs have already reported higher rates of people hospitalised with influenza pandemic (H1N1) swine flu than they did last year - they are Bay of Plenty, Lakes and Taranaki.  These DHBs had low hospitalisation rates last year.

DHBs with low rates last year which are seeing quite a lot of early influenza activity this year are Waikato, South Canterbury and MidCentral DHBs.  Other DHBs with low rates last year were Otago, West Coast, Wairarapa, Whanganui, Nelson Marlborough and Southland.

At the other end of the scale we'd expect that Capital and Coast, Hutt and Tairawhiti DHBs to be hit less hard this year because they were hit hard last year.

Dr Jacobs says individuals can still be vaccinated.  There remains 15,500 doses of seasonal vaccine left, though the vaccine does take up to two weeks for the vaccine to provide protection and young children require two shots three weeks apart to be protected.  So for anyone still thinking about getting vaccinated, now is the time to do it. This year more than 1,030,000 people have been vaccinated with seasonal influenza vaccine - which provides protection against the pandemic strain - which is the predominant strain circulating this winter.

"Health professionals also can't emphasise enough the importance of basic common sense precautions like regular handwashing (and drying), covering coughs and sneezes and staying home when sick to provide protection against infection.  

Dr Jacobs says the more these messages are reinforced at home, at school and at work, the more likely we all are to help slow the spread of the influenza.

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