Don't dilly-dally with getting a flu vaccine

The term "dilly-dally" is often used to indicate someone is wasting time or moving too slow. Someone may use the term as a gentle way to tell a friend to hurry up! You could hear them say quit dilly-dallying and get a move on it. This is not a new term with records indicating its use in the 16th century. Dilly-dally may be a term to describe this year's flu season. It took its time coming, but it is now spreading rapidly in the United States due to a new variant of the flu. The Dec. 18 Journal of the American Medical Association published some early statistics related to this new flu variant. The variant is a mutation of the influenza A H3N2. This variant is known as H3N2 subclade K. The original H3N2 emerged in 1968 and caused a serious pandemic with over 100,000 deaths in the United States and over one million deaths worldwide. This outbreak resulted in the H3N2 strain being in the U.S. flu shots for over 40 years. Different mutations have happened over the years to the H3N2 virus and the flu vaccines have adapted to these variants. However, this new H3N2 subclade K has emerged as a fierce foe. It is a mutation which is easily spread and causes severe disease resulting in a higher rate of hospitalization and deaths. So far, this year deaths have been reported in children due to the flu. One of the first indicators of the severity of the H3N2 subclade K was the flu season in Australia. The southern hemisphere has their flu season during our summer months, their winter months. Australia had an usually long flu season this year with more severe cases than in past years. In addition, Europe has documented 1/3 of the cases so far are the H3N2 subclade K mutation. The H3N2 subclade K mutation appears to spread rapidly and causes a more severe form of the flu. The symptoms remain similar and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, and chills. The H3N2 subclade K virus is responsible for a higher rate of hospitalization and death from the flu. The numbers for the flu were relatively low coming into the month of November. However, the high rates of travel and family get-togethers over Thanksgiving has accelerated the spread of the virus. The H3N2 subclade K mutated virus has entered Ohio. A significant number of cases have been seen in northwest Ohio as of a result of significant flu outbreaks in Pennsylvania. The CDC gave an update on Dec. 11 on influenza activity in the US. Much of the viral activity has been in children and young adults. So far, the CDC reports 2.9 million illnesses, 30,000 hospitalizations, and 1,200 deaths. It is estimated the influenza A H3N2 is responsible for 86% of the cases. Countermeasures against spreading this variant of the flu include getting the flu vaccine. It is not too late! The 2025-26 influenza vaccine contains H3N2 and while it is not the specific subclade K, it does offer protection from severe disease, hospitalization, and death. Data from the United Kingdom demonstrates the current vaccine has protective effects for the subclade K variant. The flu vaccine can be administered to infants as young as six months. Other countermeasures include social distancing, masking, and staying home if you sick. If you develop the flu, contact your healthcare provider immediately to see if you qualify for a flu blocking oral medication called oseltamivir (Tamiflu). Oseltamivir stops the virus from replicating in the body and can limit the severity of the flu. It is most effective if started within two days of symptom onset. Don't dilly-dally, get protected with a flu vaccine! Karen Kier is a pharmacist with Ohio Northern University HealthWise Pharmacy.