
“The Problem Child of Seasonal Flu”: Beware This Winter’s Virus - katiey
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ldquo-the-problem-child-of-seasonal-flu-rdquo-beware-this-winter-rsquo-s-virus/
======
framebit
Personal anecdata about this flu season.

I got the flu shot. My spouse did not. They ended up getting the full-blown
flu with 103 degree fever and a positive flu test at the doctor. I, on the
other hand, felt kind of crappy but I wasn't knocked on my feet and my
temperature was normal the whole time. I asked our doctor if I essentially had
a milder version of the flu because I got the shot and he said that was
basically the case.

So get your shot! Get your shot for herd immunity, get your shot to
(apparently) stave off the worst of the virus, get your shot, get your shot.

~~~
giarc
You're correct. Basically what happens is your body still gets primed for some
type of flu and produces antibodies. The predominant circulating strain H3N2
is genetically a bit different than the vaccine strain of H3N2. So even though
you don't have exactly the right antibodies, you still have some that can
recognize the circulating strain and can start the response a bit earlier than
someone with no antibodies.

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ravenstine
I just wish that people who get infected would wear a freaking mask when going
out in public. I've heard that masks don't do much for people who aren't
infected, but I imagine a mask would catch a lot of the droplets that come out
of someone's mouth when they cough.

I've never been more glad to live alone.

~~~
loorinm
The catch to this is there is substantial reason to believe that non-exposure
can actually make you more subsceptible later on, so it’s better to just get
the flu to stay on pace with antigens for future strains.

~~~
seanmcdirmid
> The catch to this is there is substantial reason to believe that non-
> exposure can actually make you more subsceptible later on

Don't flu shots work by giving you a mini-flu?

~~~
ceejayoz
Only the nasal spray flu vaccines contain live virus.

The CDC is recommending against the nasal spray this season, so chances are
you'll get a shot, which contains only dead virus, which can't cause anything
you'd describe as "mini flu" as a result.

[https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-
season-2017-2018.ht...](https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-
season-2017-2018.htm)

~~~
seanmcdirmid
The nasal vaccine has been deprecated for a long time now, I'm not sure you
can get it anywhere ATM.

The flu shot seems to put me a bit under the weather for a couple of days
after I get it. I don't have the flu, but I'm not 100% either.

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opportune
This article is good and reminded me of a key issue: herd immunity. I wish I
could explain to more of my friends how irresponsible it is to not get the flu
shot - they view it as simply an individual decision like "I'm choosing to not
get the shot knowing full well I might get sick" \- but they don't think of
the possibility that if they do get sick, they may play a part in infecting
_other_ , more vulnerable people, such as a grandparent. Even though the
vaccine isn't that effective this year, as long as it's at least somewhat
effective in mitigating transmission, it's worth it.

~~~
Raphmedia
Not nitpicking or trying to be an idiot but shouldn't it be the vulnerable
individuals that get the shot?

It seems that the only people I know who get vaccinated for something as
benign as the flu are: nurses, teachers, children, elderly.

Everyone else simply take one or two day off during flu season in the event
that they do catch it (most don't).

Am I missing something? I have never been vaccinated for it and asking around
me, nobody at my current place of employment did either.

~~~
opportune
Vaccines aren't perfect - you can get vaccinated for certain diseases/strains
(such as the flu) and still get them. It's the aggregate of vaccines that
stops transmission and prevents disease outbreaks. That's what a lot of people
(including other people that replied to my comment) don't understand about
vaccinations - they reduce the _chance_ of acquiring a disease. It's still
entirely possible to get vaccinated, spend a lot of time around infected
people, and get sick.

The entire point of herd immunity is to make disease less likely to spread
between individuals so that outbreaks don't occur in the first place. Even
though the vaccine this year is less effective than normal at preventing the
spread of flu, it's still pretty effective, and in a way that means that
collectively it's _more_ important to get vaccinated this year.

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liveoneggs
tell me about it. This year my entire house got flu at the same time and, ten
days after my fever is gone, I still feel a little down. I have no idea how my
kids really feel but my kid has a nasty cough and the other one seems a little
"off/tired".

~~~
polskibus
Out of curiosity, have you taken Vitamin D supplements before for a longer
period of time? If yes - what was the daily dosage ? Have you taken flu shots
at the beginning of the season?

~~~
tbatchelli
What would the relationship be between Vit D and this (or any) flu?

~~~
VohuMana
I'd love to know the answer to this, if there is one.

Anecdotally: I have seen a couple studies pop up recently talking about how
daily value of vitamin D has been wrong for a long time. This makes me think
taking vitamin D might be the new fad medical thing to do, kinda like how
going gluten free was the big thing a couple years ago.

For transparency I have not read all of these but they all have popped up
recently:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15867918](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15867918)
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16062697](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16062697)
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15877289](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15877289)
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15687217](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15687217)

~~~
lazerpants
Except that in this case you can just go to your doctor and get your vitamin D
level tested. Then you adjust your dosage as needed to reach the recommended
blood concentration. Adequate vitamin D levels are the subject of a little
controversy [0], but I don't think it is a fad to consider that people need a
certain level of vitamin D.

[0][https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/vitamin-d-whats-right-
le...](https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/vitamin-d-whats-right-
level-2016121910893)

Alternative thoughts on adequate vitamin D:
[https://www.vitamindcouncil.org/i-tested-my-vitamin-d-
level-...](https://www.vitamindcouncil.org/i-tested-my-vitamin-d-level-what-
do-my-results-mean/)

------
epalmer
I had the asian flu when I was very young (1957 I think). I was so sick as was
my mother. I remember it. So far only my youngest daughter (she is 19) got the
flu this year. She is better. We all had the shots. I'm carrying a paper towel
to open doors with and washing my hands a lot.

take care everyone

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anonymous43777
> H3N2 is especially hard on seniors

Luckily, we here at Trend Co. (YC Winter 2016) openly discriminate against
seniors to such an extent that we employ none at all, so our trendy open
office plan won't be nearly as big of a health hazard as it would normally be.

------
protomyth
Last year's flu was horrible. My family in MN was still having lingering
effects about 4 weeks after the initial sickness. My Dad and brother's
stomachs kept acting up. Many a day, they ate only toast.

This looks promising: [https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/18/health/flu-vaccine-
design-stu...](https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/18/health/flu-vaccine-design-
study/index.html)

------
zaroth
Any actual numbers for how much worse H3 is vs H1 in general? I know the
question isn’t quite so simple as mortality rates change over time after a new
strain emerges and starts circulating. But TFA seems to be devoid of any
actual quantitative data to backup its thesis.

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pippy
I'm in the southern hemisphere (NZ) and I got it after new years, It's the
first time I've ever had the flu during summer.

I got the flu shot late last year, but it didn't help much against this
strain. I'm just getting over it now. It's a quite a nasty cold.

~~~
giarc
Australia seemed to be first to point out a vaccine mismatch in the 2017
season, which seems to have translated north to our 2017-2018 season.

------
moultano
[http://www.virology.ws/2009/06/02/pathogenesis-of-
influenza-...](http://www.virology.ws/2009/06/02/pathogenesis-of-influenza-in-
humans/)

To keep your coworkers from getting the flu, go home as soon as you think you
might be coming down with something. The amount of virus you are shedding into
your environment is nicely exponential in how bad you are feeling, with one
exception: The day before you start feeling really bad, you are shedding
nearly as much virus as when you are feeling worst.

If you have to choose, it's better to go home early and come back before you
are feeling 100%, than it is to stay at work until you are certain you are
sick and stay home longer. It's always better to shift your sick days earlier
in the illness.

~~~
komali2
I wish it was culturally acceptable to wear a hospital mask in public in the
USA. I do it anyway and look like a weaboo or something, but still.

~~~
HorizonXP
Since SARS in Toronto, it's become more and more prevalent, especially among
Asians. I was in high school at the time, and we used to make fun of people
wearing these masks, and how crazy they looked.

Now in my older and wiser years, I realize that they were probably the smart
ones!

~~~
komali2
In my experience people from Asia bring the culture with them, which might
explain why it seems ethnically Asian people are wearing the masks more - they
might just literally be Chinese or Japanese people, among whom it's totally
normal.

------
tu7001
We've been through that, vaccine manufacturers marketing, I don't remember
having flu - because I've never been vaccinated on anything.

~~~
King-Aaron
RIP the sick, elderly and very young that you interact with.

