Keep Seeking Flu Vaccine

The flu hasn't hit the United States that hard so far this year. There are only two states reporting local flu activity, with the rest of the country reporting sporadic, regional or no activity.

But just because the season is off to slow start, doesn't mean we're out of the woods yet, cautions The Early Show medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay. The typical peak is usually around February, so we still have a long way to go.

It's still possible to get a flu shot this year, and it's important for people in high-risk categories over the age of 65 and between 6 and 23 months old to get vaccinated, Senay notes. Don't give up trying to find a shot because, despite the vaccine shortage, the Centers for Disease Control says there still are shots available, she suggests.

Efforts are under way to coordinate with the vaccine manufacturers to try to make sure the distribution gets to the places that are experiencing shortages. Vaccine makers are also expecting to produce another batch that officials hope will be ready by January. The government has also been looking at importing some foreign-made flu vaccine and expects to make an announcement about that in the next few days.

If you're not in a high-risk category, ask your doctor about a nasal spray vaccine called FluMist that is available only for healthy adults who are 5 through 49 years old. It's not for people with chronic illness, pregnant women or those who are already sick, because it uses a weakened live virus. But adults who live with or care for babies younger than six months and most health care workers are encouraged to get this vaccine.

There are four drugs that target the flu virus that can help shorten the severity and duration of flu by a day or so if they are administered quickly. The older generation of drugs are Amantadine and Flumadine, which target only type B strains of flu. The newer drugs target both types A and B.

Tamiflu is a pill that is effective against type A and B strains and reduces the severity and duration of the illness. Relenza is an inhaled antiviral medication used to fight types A and B. It comes in the form of a diskhaler that releases medicine as you inhale.

These drugs also can reduce complications such as sinusitis and bronchitis. But, to be effective, they must be taken soon after symptoms develop. It's important to call your doctor within 24 to 48 hours of the first signs of symptoms. There's a quick test in the doctor's office that can detect flu and see if it's type A or B. The test takes about 15 minutes, and can help physicians choose the appropriate treatment.