Winter's around the corner, and each body ache, sneeze, cough, sore throat and runny or clogged nose is suddenly reminding many of us about the importance of the co-administration of vaccines at this time.
It's 'there's a nasty flu going around' season.
Yes, we say this in the same 'just making polite conversation' manner we use to talk about the weather. But the two are intrinsically linked in some ways.
Every year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) updates its vaccine compositions ahead of each hemisphere's flu season, dependant on the most dominant strains.
"South Africa’s seasonal flu usually has the highest number of recorded cases between May and September each year," according to French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi.
"The WHO recommends," according to the health agency's latest update, "that quadrivalent vaccines for use in the 2023 southern hemisphere influenza season contain the following:
Egg-based Vaccines
- an A/Sydney/5/2021 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus;
- an A/Darwin/9/2021 (H3N2)-like virus;
- a B/Austria/1359417/2021(B/Victoria lineage)-like virus; and
- a B/Phuket/3073/2013 (B/Yamagata lineage)-like virus.
Cell- or Recombinant-based Vaccines
- an A/Sydney/5/2021 (H1N1) pdm09-like virus;
- an A/Darwin/6/2021 (H3N2)-like virus;
- a B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus."
"The flu causes up to 650 000 deaths globally each year, and the highest numbers are in sub-Saharan Africa," adds Sanofi.
"More than 11 000 deaths related to flu occur in South Africa each year, and almost 50% of people in South Africa who catch severe flu, need to be hospitalised," according to the Paris-headquartered multinational pharmaceutical which on 9 May 2023 hosted an influenza media roundtable event.
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- What is the difference between flu and Covid-19?
"They are both infectious respiratory diseases, and they share some similar symptoms. However, they are caused by different viruses, and there are some differences in who is most vulnerable to severe disease," according to the WHO.
"There are also differences in how the diseases are treated."
- Can you get vaccines for both viruses at the same time?
"Covid-19 vaccines may be co-administered with other vaccines – including live, attenuated vaccines. This may be at the same visit, or at another visit without regard to timing," says Dr Lourens Terblanche, Medical Head: South Africa, Sanofi Vaccines.
Dr Terblanche says that people should ideally get vaccinated before the flu season begins for the most effective coverage, although getting vaccinated at any time during the flu season can still help protect against flu infections.
"Flu is an acute infection of the respiratory tract caused by type A, B or C influenza viruses, which circulate worldwide at different times of the year.
"It is therefore important for people not to delay in getting an annual flu shot, especially those with chronic conditions who are at greater risk of contracting flu and developing more serious complications.
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"Flu can spread quickly between people when an infected person coughs or sneezes, dispersing droplets of the virus into the air. It can also be spread by hands contaminated by the virus.
“Influenza viruses evolve constantly, so twice a year the World Health Organisation (WHO) makes recommendations to update vaccine compositions. Patients that are known to be at high risk for developing severe or complicated illness as a result of contracting the flu should prioritise immunisation against the flu every year as recommended by the NICD (the National Institute for Communicable Diseases of South Africa).”
"Pregnant women and women up to two weeks after giving birth" are at risk says Sanofi's medical adviser, Dr Lauren Sekhuthe. Other at-risk persons she lists include:
- "Young children (particularly those under 2 years of age)
- Persons over the age of 65 years
- Individuals who are morbidly obese (e.g. body mass index (BMI) of ≥40)
- HIV-infected individuals
- Individuals with tuberculosis
- Persons of any age with chronic diseases
- Those under 18 years receiving chronic aspirin therapy"
- What are the signs and symptoms to look out for?
According to a Wits University study, titled Elevated community burden and asymptomatic transmission of seasonal influenza in an urban and a rural community in South Africa, 2017-2018: results of the PHIRST cohort study, "seasonal flu is characterised by:
• a sudden onset of fever,
• cough (usually dry),
• headache,
• muscle and joint pain,
• severe malaise (feeling unwell),
• sore throat and a runny nose. The cough can be severe and can last two or more weeks."
