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Flu season over, health officials say

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A nurse administers a flu shot in December at Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center in Vancouver. Clark County's influenza season is over, local health officials said Wednesday. (Natalie Behring/Columbian files)

Clark County's influenza season is officially over, local health officials said Wednesday. This year's flu season, which began in late January and lasted about 17 weeks, peaked in early April. During that time, Clark County had seven flu-associated deaths, and at least 485 lab-confirmed flu cases were reported. There were four flu outbreaks in long-term care facilities, according to Clark County Public Health. "The risk of getting influenza now is pretty darn low," said Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County health officer and public health director. "I'm not recommending that folks get vaccinated at this point for the 2015-2016 season. ... I just don't see it coming back." This season's flu vaccine was a good match to circulating viruses and was estimated to be 59 percent effective, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By contrast, the 2014-15 vaccine was only 19 percent effective, meaning it reduced a person's risk of needing medical care for flu illness by 19 percent. The flu shot provides protection against three or four strains of the virus, depending on the type of vaccine. This year, there were primarily two strains of viruses circulating, and one of them was included in the seasonal vaccine. Last year's flu season brought five deaths, 550 lab-confirmed influenza cases and seven outbreaks in long-term care facilities. The flu isn't a notifiable condition, and not everyone who is sick seeks medical care, and so those case numbers typically represent only a fraction of the people sickened. Flu symptoms typically include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches, body aches, chills and fatigue. Young children, pregnant women, people 65 and older, and people with asthma, diabetes, heart disease and other long-term conditions are at greatest risk of complications from the flu. Melnick said he recommends people get vaccinated for influenza again as soon as the next season's vaccine is available.

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