Current vaccines used to prevent seasonal influenza would not protect someone from catching avian influenza.
But that’s not to say a seasonal flu vaccine would have no purpose should a worldwide bird flu pandemic break out as some fear may happen, said Mark Rupp, M.D., professor of infectious diseases at UNMC.
Aside from helping people avoid seasonal flu, Dr. Rupp said more people getting a flu shot will make it easier to differentiate seasonal from avian flu should a pandemic occur and overlap with seasonal flu.
Also, widespread vaccination against seasonal influenza in the part of the world currently experiencing avian flu in the bird populations may make it more difficult for the avian strain to adapt to the human host.
A concern among many who are studying the “bird flu” strain H5N1, which currently cannot be passed from human to human, is that someone with seasonal influenza also will simultaneously catch avian flu from a bird. The fear is the two strains will meet and combine into a strain of avian influenza that can be passed among humans.
Of course, Dr. Rupp said, getting a seasonal flu shot is very important even without the threat of avian flu.
“Getting a flu shot is the right thing to do,” Dr. Rupp said. “By getting one you not only can protect yourself from seasonal flu, which can be very dangerous at its worst and very unpleasant at best, but you also stand to protect others around you because you’ll be less likely to spread the flu to patients, family members or other persons.”
The current flu season seems to be a late one, Dr. Rupp said, meaning it’s still important for those who haven’t got a flu shot yet to get one.
The Nebraska Medical Center still has vaccine available, “but we don’t have a lot left so I suggest those who want a shot get one soon,” Dr. Rupp said.