The state Department of Public Health is reporting seven more flu-related deaths, bringing the 2018 flu death total in Connecticut to 119. At least 98 of those deaths, 82 percent, are reported in people aged 65 or older.
Seniors are a particularly vulnerable population, according to Dr. Virginia Bieluch from The Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain.
“Patients can get pneumonia. They can have a bad asthma attack,” said Dr. Bieluch. “If you’ve had influenza, you are at increased risk of heart attack and stroke in the short time after you’ve had the influenza.”
Given the length of the the flu season, some who received the vaccination in the late summer or early fall are beginning to wonder whether another flu vaccination – a flu booster – might further protect them from the virus. But Dr. Bieluch isn’t sold.
“There are no recommendations for booster shots, even in people who are older whose immunity is more likely to wane,” she said.
The best advice is still the most conventional: stay in shape, eat right, wash your hands regularly and stay away from others who might already be infected.
While flu season has peaked, the DPH expects it will continue to be detected in the state well into May.
Learn more about cold and flu prevention here.
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