Transcription:

Scott Webb (Host): As we head into flu season this year, knowing that the pandemic is very much still with us; it's important for all of us to get our flu shots. Today, we're going to stress this point and discuss how the flu virus is similar and different from COVID-19 and underline the importance of being vaccinated for both. Both vaccines are safe and effective and free at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, and at two other community clinics. And as always, COVID-19 vaccines are free everywhere. And joining me today is Melissa Deen. She's the Infection Prevention Manager at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital. This is Ask the Experts from Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System.

I'm Scott Webb. Melissa, it's so great to have you on, we're talking about the flu and COVID-19 and vaccines today. And as we get rolling here, how is the flu similar or different to COVID-19. And where does the common cold fit in there?

Melissa Deen, BSN, RN, PHN (Guest): They're all viruses. The flu and COVID in particular is tied to virus, but common cold is also a virus. We have at least 20 or more respiratory viruses that kind of fit into that marker of common cold. As far as influenza and COVID, they mirror each other, just like many cold viruses with fever, chills, cough, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, congestion. Even with influenza and some cold viruses, we can see some nausea or lower abdominal symptoms, vomiting, diarrhea. Interestingly enough, COVID in and of itself is a little different from the flu in that you do see a loss of taste or smell and we do have an strong pneumonia component, but you also have that with influenza as well.

And with any respiratory virus the complication of those can be pneumonia. It's important that you look at those symptoms and consider for yourself and for your family being tested for the flu or COVID or any virus, so that we can target your treatment. Generally, what we recommend is that if you've had any of these symptoms, even if you feel like they are something that you have every day, we've found that patients that have come to see us or, you know, my work or my wife says I need to be tested, but it's probably just allergies, have come out COVID positive or flu positive. And so it's important to seek medical care timely and effectively, but a great part of that and one of the amazing things that we have available to us in our community and our public health, is vaccination that will prevent serious harm or a hospitalization or relationship to either flu or COVID.

Host: Well and I think you're so right Melissa, that because of flu testing, COVID testing and because so much of that is readily available. There's no reason for folks to kind of chalk it up, oh, it's just a cold. Oh, it's just allergies. Yeah, it might be, but it could be flu. It could be COVID. So, we really want to encourage people to take advantage of the testing, which is just about everywhere, including SVMH and, you know, specifically as we head in here into the fall, I know we're getting into flu season, right. So we'll give us an idea when flu season begins and ends. And how do you account for the variance every year? How do you make sure that the flu vaccines that we want everyone to get is as up-to-date as possible?

Melissa: So generally the flu season starts in the fall and usually ends early part of spring or late winter. So we usually see our first cases of the flu late September, early October. And generally we start seeing it dissipate around March, April. So, what we do is we review CDC and WHO information to look to see what will be coming. Generally, what infectious diseases team and myself, the infection prevention will do is we'll look and start looking at global trends. What's happening in Australia, what's happening in South America. We also look at national trends. We start looking at the east coast and the Eastern seaboard to see what's occurring there.

Cause we usually find that it will track and trend towards us. The CDC usually will pick four variations of the flu, of the virus to use in it's vaccines. This year, the CDC is producing only quadrivalent. So, it's four variations of the influenza virus for flu vaccine this year. And that will be what's available in our flu clinics coming up that Salinas Valley is partnering with Monterey County Public Health Department. What a quadrivalent flu shot does is that it is giving you antibodies for four variations of the flu. So, it helps hopefully prevent or circumvent hospitalization and severe illness.

Host: Yeah. And that really is the goal, right. Ultimately, what we're really trying to do is prevent people from dying from COVID-19 and from the flu. And so I wanted to ask you, Melissa, why is the flu so deadly at times for some but not everybody is it really just the vaccine that saves people?

Melissa: What we have found over the years and decades is that there are specific populations that tend to be more at risk. And it varies from season to season. The severity of flu tends to change. So, in the last hundred years, we've had about three influenza pandemics, the most recent being the 2009, H1N1 variation of the flu. But the populations at risk is where we try to focus our attention for promoting vaccination to hopefully prevent hospitalization or significant illness, adults over 65, individuals with asthma or chronic respiratory symptoms, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart disease, and a history of stroke.

In addition to that population, people that are immunocompromised. Patients that have been diagnosed or on therapy for cancer, HIV, or AIDS, pregnant women and infants and young children under five, are all populations where we focus and promote vaccination as a major part of prevention for both flu and currently for COVID.

Host: Yeah. And along the lines of things that we've also learned over the past year plus is the effectiveness of masks, distancing, proper hand hygiene. So, we know that those things are effective in preventing the spread of colds, flu, COVID 19. And we're recording this in mid September, 2021. When will the flu vaccines be available and really who should be vaccinated?

Melissa: Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital has received our flu vaccines for our patient population and for our staff. We will start vaccinating our staff in the coming weeks. And additionally, we will be also doing our patients the first week of October. And we are partnering with Monterey County Public Health Department.

We have three flu clinics, influenza clinics for vaccination that we do with Monterey County. We have one here at the hospital, Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital. We have one at Taylor Farms in Gonzalez, and then we have one at Palma in the evening for people that can't come to our Saturday clinics here at the hospital or in Gonzales at Taylor Farms. We're encouraging everyone to be vaccinated, whether they're six months old or 80 plus years old, anybody with a chronic illness or with a potential risk for significant or severe illness, especially like we talked about those at-risk populations. We really are encouraging specifically those individuals to be vaccinated, but honestly, anyone who could be vaccinated, should be vaccinated.

Host: And I know this is a question that comes up a lot. Can people get the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccines back to back either on the same day, the same week. Is it safe to have those two vaccines so close together? Do we just alternate arms? How does that work?

Melissa: The flu vaccine and the COVID vaccine can be given at the same time. The guidelines state that they should be given at different locations. So flu shot in the left arm, COVID shot in the right arm and you're good to go. We know that both vaccines are safe and can be given safely and effectively together.

Host: And Melissa, do you offer, let's call it a one-stop shopping? So if I come in for my flu shot, can I also get my COVID-19 vaccine at the same location, same time, but as you mentioned, the other arm?

Melissa: Yes, you can get vaccinated for both. We are going to have a limited supply. Montery County Public Health Department is supplying the vaccines. And so there will be a limited supply available. The COVID vaccine screening will be done by Monterey County Public Health. And the Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare team will be doing the flu screening. And then, yes, both shots can be given and we just make sure that we keep them separate.

Host: So as we wrap up Melissa, what would be your takeaways from somebody who's there on the front lines about vaccines in general and what people should be concerned about or not concerned about as we head into flu season this year?

Melissa: We definitely are concerned about an increase of significant viral illness, not just for COVID, but from influenza and other viral variations. We're seeing an increase outside of our norm this summer of other respiratory viruses. I think the most important thing for our community is that we vaccinate both for flu and for COVID in order for us to go back to the lives and the activities that we love and enjoy, and that we keep our families and our coworkers and our friends safe, and our community at large safe is to be vaccinated.

Host: Yeah, that's the message today for sure. The vaccines are free. The tests are free. Bottom line is we want folks to be vaccinated for the flu, COVID-19, get tested if you don't feel well. And we hope you, Melissa and everybody else stays well. Thank you so much.

Melissa: Thank you. You have a great day.

Host: For more information, visit our website at svmh.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And if you found this podcast to be helpful, please be sure to tell a friend and subscribe rate, and review this podcast too. Check out the entire podcast library for additional topics of interest. This is Ask the Experts from Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System. I'm Scott Webb. Stay well, and we'll talk again next time.