Last year there was not enough time to include the H1N1 strain in the formulation for the annual seasonal flu vaccine, but this year will be different. After its four-day influenza meeting, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that the 2010 seasonal flu vaccine contain protection from the swine flu.
Despite the fact that experts believe a third wave in the spring is an improbability, the WHO expects swine flu to remain a significant threat in the years ahead. The WHO plans to discuss this third wave probability during another official meeting, set to take place next week. Is this season’s H1N1 pandemic officially over? We’ll have to wait and see what comes out of the meeting.
From the field, we’re hearing that doctors and clinics throughout the U.S. are reporting a decrease in the typical number of seasonal flu cases. Cases of swine flu, and similar conditions such as RSV, which primarily affects small children, have now surpassed those of seasonal flu patients. Public health officials are slightly puzzled by this. Perhaps more will come to light after we’ve become accustomed to H1N1 as an official part of the influenza conversation.
The CDC has released an extended set of facts and statistics about the 2009 H1N1 strain, including the number of deaths – so far, 11,700 Americans have died. This figure is significantly less than the 36,000 lives lost every year as a result of the seasonal flu.