Northwell Health experts are cautioning New Yorkers about a potentially active flu season, citing a decline in influenza vaccination rates. Bruce Farber, MD, chief public health and epidemiology officer at Northwell, emphasized the seriousness of the flu compared to common colds. “Influenza is not the cold,” Dr. Farber said. “Last season, more people died from flu than Covid-19 in the U.S. Most flu deaths and hospitalizations occur in the elderly, but it also impacts young children.”
The warning comes as holiday travel increases risk of transmission. One local resident, Denise Sussman of Sea Cliff, NY, shared her experience after contracting influenza following a trip to Toronto last fall with her daughter. Sussman was ill for over three weeks and lost 15 pounds but did not require hospitalization. “I was very weak until mid-December,” she said. “My husband said he’d never seen me sick like that before.” She has since received her flu vaccine this year.
Susan Hirsch, MD, Sussman’s primary care provider in Great Neck, noted a decrease in patient willingness to get vaccinated since the pandemic began. “Everything I do is preventive,” Dr. Hirsch said. “If nothing happens to my patients, I’ve done my job. Unfortunately, I’ve seen a decrease in patients willing to get the flu shot. I’m seeing a difference since the beginning of the pandemic.”
Dwayne Breining, MD, senior vice president of lab services at Northwell Health, pointed out that surveillance data from Australia suggests another strong flu season ahead for the third consecutive year: “The most recent flu curve from Australia is big and usually predicts ours,” Dr. Breining stated. “Indications are for a heavy flu season. Last year, we had to deal with a tripledemic of flu, RSV and covid-19 all hitting at once.”
Northwell Labs offers rapid testing with results typically available within 24 hours through its LabGold swab that screens for influenza, COVID-19 and RSV simultaneously.
Health officials recommend vaccination as soon as possible through healthcare providers or local pharmacies; those over 65 or immunosuppressed should consider high-dose vaccines formulated with two strains of influenza A and one strain of influenza B.
Dr. Farber reiterated vaccine safety: “The vaccine is safe and has been in use for decades,” he said. ”It is not a live vaccine and cannot cause influenza. The virus is constantly changing, and that is why a new vaccine is needed each year.”
