Dying from flu
Every once in a while I get a call or e-mail with sad news: someone has died of complications from the flu.
Lately, with the heightened awareness of the H1N1 virus, I’ve heard of a couple of deaths related specifically to H1N1. In some cases the deceased was perfectly healthy before becoming ill. The stories are heartbreaking.
Unfortunately, death is a reality of the flu. Thousands die every year.
The Virginia Department of Health does not track the number of flu deaths in the state.
“Flu deaths are not required to be reported to VDH, so we do not have state info, only national estimates,” said spokesman Robert Parker.
And while some people have told me that their loved one’s death certificate has the cause of death as H1N1, Parker told me that “H1N1 is not typically reported on a death certificate.”
The state does track the number of kids who die from the flu. This year the state has recorded four pediatric flu deaths, Parker said.
The CDC reports that an estimated 12,000 Americans died during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. In contrast to seasonal flu, nearly 90 percent of the deaths occurred among people younger than 65 years of age.
According to the CDC, estimates of flu-associated deaths range from a low of about 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people.
This year H1N1 is being tracked as part of the regular seasonal flu. The virus was included in the flu vaccine to help protect people from getting it. Flu season peaked in February, according to the CDC and VDH.
March 18, 2011 - 11:08 AM
Very sad news to hear.
However every doctor we have seen recently has advised us all the flu and viruses they have seen with this recent string of “the crud” that the flu shot would have been useless. This is coming from doctors. The flu shot useless.
Everyone I know who took a flu shot this past year said they will probably not do it again as most of them got sick anyway.
Would a flu shot kept this person from passing? Only God knows.
My condolences to the family.
States should be tracking deaths related to H1N1 because of its history of causing fatal complications in some seemingly healthy people. And it may prompt more young adults to get their flu shots.
Are school employees and healthcare employees required to get flu shots? And if not, should they be?
For our family, the only person who didn’t get a flu shot this year got very sick with the flu (the rest of us avoided getting sick). The flu shot doesn’t work against all the other nasty viruses going around (such as norovirus), but I would still encourage everyone to get their flu shots this fall when vaccine becomes available. It may spare your family from suffering what others have tragically suffered this year.
@concerned I wanted to answer one of your questions about some employees being required to get flu shots. Some hospitals do mandate the flu vaccine. LewisGale is among them. http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/221033
Carilion doesn’t require it of its employees but strongly recommends it. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia made influenza vaccinations mandatory for its employees, and terminated a few employees who refused to get it.
This is in response to the comment by “charlie”.
There are a tremendous number of viruses that circulate every year and can cause “flu-like-illnesses.” We don’t have a means to treat most of them, nor do we have vaccines for them. They go by many different names, but they are in addition to the influenza viruses that cause true influenza. The great majority of true influenza viruses that were found ciruculating this year were covered by the influenza vaccine. The fact that this year’s influenza season seems relatively mild is likely related to the large number of folks who were vaccinated. Not only does vaccination prevent the person from contracting the flu, it also decreases the likelihood that those who were not immunized were also less likely to get it.
The fact that you or someone you know became sick during flu season means that you were likely infected with another respiratory virus, does not mean the flu shot was useless, just that it was useless against those particular viruses. All adults and children over the age of 6 months should be immunized yearly. That is the only way to prevent deaths due either to influenza itself, or to complications such as pneumonia that often follows on the heels of a case of influenza.
Also, regarding reporting of deaths due to influenza–deaths of CHILDREN from influenza ARE reportable to the state, and have been for the last several years. You can find the actual numbers of childhood deaths at the CDC’s website.
I do not agree that it should be mandatory that healthcare workers receive the flu vaccine. Flu vaccines are loaded with neuro toxins such as thimerosol(mercury) and aluminum. I would rather get the flu than load my body up with toxins that could lead to all sorts of devastating neurological diseases for my body. The efficacy of the flu shot in itself is questionable. Why aren’t we instead pushing for people to build up their immunity by getting enough sleep, exercising, and taking Vitamin D supplements? Why? Because the pharmaceutical industry owns America, not to mention the doctors and hospitals as well. Getting the flu shot just isn’t reasonable because, if a healthcare worker was coming down with the flu they just wouldn’t go to work.