COVID-19: 'Blowin' in the Wind'

In 1963, Bob Dylan released the song "Blowin' in the Wind" and it became an anthem for the American civil rights movement. His lyrics included, "The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind. ... Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see? The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind." Dylan is a prolific songwriter who continues to tour and produce music. He has won 10 Grammy Awards, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Nobel Prize in Literature. So what is blowing in the wind? Viruses are blowing in the wind. Currently, viruses are anticipated to continue to hit the United States pretty hard. The delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 has the ability to cause more serious infections and has an increased risk of transmission and spread. Many health departments and venues are asking the public to wear face masks in indoor and outdoor settings, to increase protection. Health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are asking people to wear masks indoors no matter their vaccination status. Recent data shows that those who are vaccinated and have a breakthrough infection are contagious for a shorter period of time, which is good in limiting the spread. This is another advantage for the COVID-19 vaccines. Other respiratory viruses to be concerned about this fall and winter are the flu virus and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). RSV is usually a more serious infection of young children, but since COVID-19, health professionals are seeing RSV in all ages and at a rate that is not normal. It can be hard to distinguish from the COVID-19 delta variant because it causes fever, cough, difficult breathing and runny noses. RSV is typically treated with medications for symptom relief unless the infection becomes serious and requires hospitalization. Antiviral medications can be used for those cases. The other big concern has been for a more serious flu season than last year's. With people getting out and about and reducing the use of masks, the flu season is predicted to be a rough one. Based on CDC data, the two states with the highest cases of the flu at the moment are Ohio and Nevada. Two studies looking at early data suggest that we could see 100,000 to 400,000 more flu hospitalizations than a typical year. This year's flu shot has been updated with new strains from 2019 and 2020. The influenza vaccine has been updated with the 2020 H3N2 Cambodia strain. Many people, including myself, wait until October to get the flu vaccine. This year is no time to wait, based on the predictions. It is important to remember that it takes two weeks for the flu shot to become fully effective, so take that into consideration when determining timing. You can get the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as the flu shot, as there is no longer a 14-day suggested waiting period between the vaccines. Weather systems such as hurricanes can negatively impact the distribution of medications, including vaccines, from distributors to pharmacies and health departments. Not all clinics have received their vaccine shipments, so it is important to call for availability — especially if you are interested in the high-dose flu vaccine for those over 65 years or the egg-free vaccine. Many of you have heard the news about the FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer COVID-19 booster. Right now, this booster is recommended for those who have previously received the first two doses of Pfizer. For those who have received the Moderna and Janssen (J&J) vaccine, we are still waiting for data to be submitted and reviewed by the FDA. The vaccine booster focuses on those over 65, nursing home residents, those at increased risk of exposure due to occupation or living environment, and those who have risk factors for severe COVID-19 infections and are at least six months out from the full series of the Pfizer vaccine. Feel free to call the Ohio Northern University HealthWise Pharmacy at 419-772-3784 or talk to your health care professional for more health information. We want to provide the best information possible, and we have COVID-19 vaccines available. Kier is a pharmacist on behalf of the ONU HealthWise team.