www.elitecme.com | 2019 | INFECTIOUS DISEASE, DISASTER PLANNING & WOUND CARE 13 |  FLU UPDATE for flu at clinical laboratories has ranged from 23.6 percent-27.4 per- cent, CDC officials said. • The most recent overall hospitalization rate is 9.1 per 100,000. At this time last season, the overall hospitalization rate was 30.5 per 100,000 and cumulative end-of-season hospitalization rates over the past five seasons have ranged from 31.4 per 100,000 (2015-16) to 102.8 per 100,000 (2017-18), according to the CDC. • Pneumonia and influenza deaths are said to not have yet exceeded the epidemic threshold this season, whereas last season these deaths were at or above the epidemic threshold for 16 consecutive weeks, according to CDC statistics. To date for the 2018-19 season, influenza A H1N1 viruses have predominated nationally while influenza A H3N2 viruses have been most commonly reported in the southeast, according to the CDC. The number of states reporting widespread activity increased as of the CDC’s most recent surveillance from 24 to 30. ILI had declined slightly per the most recent report, but the CDC warns that ILI remains elevated and that 15 states (and New York City) continue to experience what is considered to be a high level of flu activity. The CDC also reported a decline in the percent of respiratory specimens testing positive for flu throughout clinical laboratories, but claim that this number remains elevated as well. WHAT IS NEW WITH FLU? Despite the lessened severity through mid-January, the CDC is still alerting nurses and other healthcare of some new developments impact- ing the current flu season: • Vaccines have been updated to better match circulating viruses. • The nasal spray vaccine (LAIV) is again a recommended option for influenza vaccination of persons for whom it is otherwise appropri- ate. The spray is approved for use in non-pregnant individuals ages 2-49 years old. There is a precaution against the use of LAIV for peo- ple living with certain underlying medical conditions. All LAIV will be quadrivalent (four-component). • Most regular-dose egg-based flu shots will be quadrivalent. • All recombinant vaccine will be quadrivalent. (No trivalent recom- binant vaccine will be available this season.) • Cell-grown vaccine will be quadrivalent. For this vaccine, H3N2 and both influenza B reference viruses will be cell-derived, and H1N1 will be egg-derived. All these reference viruses will be grown in cells to produce the components of Flucelvax.® • No intradermal flu vaccine will be available. • The age recommendation for “Fluarix Quadrivalent” was changed from 3 years and older to 6 months and older after the annual rec- ommendations were published last season to be consistent with U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)-approved labeling. • The age recommendation for Afluria Quadrivalent was changed from 18 years and older to 5 years and older after the annual recom- mendations were published last season to be consistent with FDA- approved labeling. • Baloxavir marboxil (Xofluza® ) is a new influenza single-dose antivi- ral drug approved in October by the FDA. Baloxavir is approved for the treatment of acute uncomplicated flu in people ages 12 years and older who have had flu symptoms for less than 48 hours. RECENT CDC RECOMMENDATIONS CDC officials are sharing specific recommendations for providers in relation to the 2018-19 season, providers may choose to administer any licensed, age-appropriate flu vaccine. Options this season include: • Standard-dose flu shots. These are injected into muscle and are usu- ally given with a needle, but two (Afluria and Afluria Quadrivalent) can be given to some people (those ages 18-64 years old) with a jet injector. • High-dose shots for older adults. • Shots made with adjuvant for older adults. • Shots made with virus grown in cell culture. • Shots made using a vaccine production technology (recombinant vaccine) that does not require the use of flu virus. n Rob has 15 years of experience writing and editing for healthcare. He pre- viously worked for ADVANCE from 2002 to 2012. REFERENCE 1. Preliminary in-season U.S. influenza burden estimates. CDC. 2019. Accessed online: www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/preliminary-in-sea- son-estimates.htm Join Us For An Open House To register, please contact Allie Ittoop at 212-616-7282 or Allie.Ittoop@helenefuld.edu Industry leader with 70+ years experience providing quality nursing education. 24 East 120th St., New York, NY • www.HeleneFuld.edu • 212-616-7282 LPN to RN Associate Degree Program Monday, February 25, 2019, 11:30 AM Monday, March 25, 2019, 1:00 PM RN to Bachelor of Science Degree Program Tuesday, February 26, 2019, 11:30 AM Generic Bachelor of Science Degree RN Program Thursday, March 7, 2019, 11:30 AM Rank