Tips to keep Team Dover healthy during robust flu season

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class William Johnson
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  With flu season in full effect and much of the state of Delaware reporting higher numbers of influenza cases, Dover Air Force Base flu cases still remain consistent from last year.

"The flu season this year has been extremely harsh nationwide," said Col. Kevin Murphy, 436th Medical Group commander. "Thanks in part to our professional medical Airmen's efforts in vaccinating the Team Dover population; we have been able to drastically reduce the amount of cases on base."

However, this year's flu season does present some of its own challenges for Team Dover. A mutated form of the common seasonal flu strain, H3N2, has been reported in nearly all 50 states and vaccines offered by the 436th Medical Group this year did not fully protect against this mutated strain.

"So what we are actually seeing is some divergence on the influenza which is causing vaccine failure," said Lt. Col. (Dr.) Douglas Riley, 436th Public Health flight commander. "The mutated form that we are talking about is not recognized by the vaccine and therefore you are having more people becoming sick."

Flu symptoms of this mutated H3N2 virus are the same as the common flu and can include high fever, headache, dry cough, sore throat, body aches, chills, vomiting and diarrhea.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu is easily spread by droplets made when people with the virus cough, sneeze or talk and can infect individuals who are up to approximately six feet away. Symptoms usually start one to four days after the virus has entered the body and is contagious from one day before showing symptoms and up to seven days after becoming sick.

"The number one method to avoid an outbreak is personal hygiene," said Riley. "And if you want to distill that all the way down to the most important recommendation that you could give anybody, it would be to wash their hands with soap and water."

When soap and water are not available, it is recommended to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Other precautionary measures include avoid sharing linens and eating utensils, sneeze guarding and social distancing yourself from people who are sick.

Influenza is responsible for thousands of death in the United States every year and Riley insists Airmen and their families should get the flu vaccine every year to increase flu prevention.

Flu shots are available Monday through Friday from 0730 to 1615 in the Immunizations clinic and no appointment is necessary.

For more information about the flu and flu prevention visit www.cdc.goc/flu.