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American Morning
Flu Shots Important
Aired September 30, 2002 - 08:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: It is getting to be that time of year again. We are talking about flu season, and for many, the flu can be very serious. For some, even deadly.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta now in today's "House Call," on a Monday morning with us now -- good morning, Sanjay. Good to see you.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good to see you, Bill. Well, it is that time of the year, no question about it. Beginning of October, tomorrow, flu season sort of officially starts, and it peaks between January and March.
So, this is the time of year to be talking about flu shots. Let me just give you a couple of facts to start off. You know, we talk a lot about West Nile, we have talked a lot about anthrax over the year.
The flu kills about 20,000 people a year. I can just put some of those numbers in perspective for you. Typically, the flu shot, given most of the doses before November 1, will protect you against some of the most common strains of the flu virus in any given season.
But Bill, you and I have talked about the fact that there are many different strains of the flu, it constantly mutates, it changes itself. It's a very tricky virus. So, there is a couple of virus -- three, actually -- that are going to be the most popular this year. They are called the Moscow, the New Caledonia, and the Hong Kong strains.
Bill, despite the flu shots, despite people's best efforts at times, 20 to 50 percent of the nation's population will still get the flu in some way, shape or form this year.
But one important thing is to distinguish this between -- the flu between a cold. Cold symptoms typically are just upper respiratory symptoms, runny nose, sniffling. Bill, you have had some of that yourself over the past few days.
The flu typically tends to be a lot more serious. Not only does it affect the upper respiratory system, but also the lower respiratory system. You get a very deep cough, things like that, but you also feel very wiped out. You get these fevers, myalgias, which are muscle aches, headaches, severe malaise, which is just feeling very tired, nonproductive cough, sore throat, and rhinitis, which is the itchiness of the nose.
All of those may distinguish the flu from the cold. Regardless, the flu can also be a very contagious thing. You can be infectious up to five days after you have been exposed -- Bill.
HEMMER: That figure is amazing, 20,000 fatalities as a result of the flu every year. Listen, how about prevention? We talk about a shot, we talk about what else?
GUPTA: Well, I'll tell you, one thing is, there is no easy sort of fix, as you still have got to boost your immune system. You got to make sure you get plenty of sleep, you got to make sure to be eating a balanced diet, not be out drinking too late, things like that. All of those things to boost your immune system.
People have talked a lot about Vitamin C, echinacea, lozenges, all of those sorts of things. They may help, they do seem to help some people. Other people don't get any benefit at all. There haven't been very good studies on those. But there really is no substitute. But getting that flu shot is important because that will reduce your chances by about 34 percent of getting the flu.
HEMMER: Wow. So who and when, then, when it comes to getting the shot?
GUPTA: Well, we have talked a lot about -- in the past, there have been vaccine shortages. So, because of that, people have sort of developed priorities of who should get the flu shots. They have talked about people over the age of 65, they have talked about people who have weakened immune systems and pregnant women.
This year, Bill, they say they are going to have more than enough flu vaccine. So really, everybody, even kids as young as six months old -- younger than six months, no -- but 6-months to 23-months, that is some high flu risk for those people as well, those kids as well, so they certainly need to get their flu shots. So just about everybody is a candidate for this shot, Bill.
HEMMER: You know, I have a lot of theories, right?
GUPTA: That I know.
HEMMER: Here is my theory on flu shots, because I had one, I think for the first time in 25 years, about three years ago, and I got sick from it, and I never want to do it again.
GUPTA: You got sick from the flu shot?
HEMMER: Yes. I directly tie it to that.
Do you hear about this? Common or not?
GUPTA: Well, a couple of things to keep in mind. First of all, the flu shot is not absolutely going to protect you against getting the flu. It reduces your chances by about 34 percent, which, in the scheme of things, is quite a bit.
Also, the most benefit from the flu shot is not going to come until about 14 days after you get the flu shot, so you want to get it early. You don't want to get it really in the midst of flu season. Get it now before flu season really begins.
And then Bill, like you and I have talked about, the flu shot is not a fool-proof method. You still have got to get plenty of sleep, which I know is hard for you getting up so early, not be out too late, and eat a balanced diet. All those things to try and boost your immune system. There is no substitute for that.
HEMMER: Well, I appreciate your pity today.
GUPTA: Not as bad as Jeffrey Toobin.
HEMMER: That was a stinger. Thanks, Sanjay.
GUPTA: And Bill, by the way, help me wish my father a happy birthday.
HEMMER: Oh, it is your dad's birthday today?
GUPTA: Yes, it is.
HEMMER: No kidding. Well, happy birthday to the good doctor's father. And where is he -- Ann Arbor, is he?
GUPTA: In Michigan, right.
HEMMER: Michigan. OK. Thank you, Sanjay.
GUPTA: Good seeing you.
HEMMER: All right. Candles on the cake.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired September 30, 2002 - 08:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: It is getting to be that time of year again. We are talking about flu season, and for many, the flu can be very serious. For some, even deadly.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta now in today's "House Call," on a Monday morning with us now -- good morning, Sanjay. Good to see you.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good to see you, Bill. Well, it is that time of the year, no question about it. Beginning of October, tomorrow, flu season sort of officially starts, and it peaks between January and March.
So, this is the time of year to be talking about flu shots. Let me just give you a couple of facts to start off. You know, we talk a lot about West Nile, we have talked a lot about anthrax over the year.
The flu kills about 20,000 people a year. I can just put some of those numbers in perspective for you. Typically, the flu shot, given most of the doses before November 1, will protect you against some of the most common strains of the flu virus in any given season.
But Bill, you and I have talked about the fact that there are many different strains of the flu, it constantly mutates, it changes itself. It's a very tricky virus. So, there is a couple of virus -- three, actually -- that are going to be the most popular this year. They are called the Moscow, the New Caledonia, and the Hong Kong strains.
Bill, despite the flu shots, despite people's best efforts at times, 20 to 50 percent of the nation's population will still get the flu in some way, shape or form this year.
But one important thing is to distinguish this between -- the flu between a cold. Cold symptoms typically are just upper respiratory symptoms, runny nose, sniffling. Bill, you have had some of that yourself over the past few days.
The flu typically tends to be a lot more serious. Not only does it affect the upper respiratory system, but also the lower respiratory system. You get a very deep cough, things like that, but you also feel very wiped out. You get these fevers, myalgias, which are muscle aches, headaches, severe malaise, which is just feeling very tired, nonproductive cough, sore throat, and rhinitis, which is the itchiness of the nose.
All of those may distinguish the flu from the cold. Regardless, the flu can also be a very contagious thing. You can be infectious up to five days after you have been exposed -- Bill.
HEMMER: That figure is amazing, 20,000 fatalities as a result of the flu every year. Listen, how about prevention? We talk about a shot, we talk about what else?
GUPTA: Well, I'll tell you, one thing is, there is no easy sort of fix, as you still have got to boost your immune system. You got to make sure you get plenty of sleep, you got to make sure to be eating a balanced diet, not be out drinking too late, things like that. All of those things to boost your immune system.
People have talked a lot about Vitamin C, echinacea, lozenges, all of those sorts of things. They may help, they do seem to help some people. Other people don't get any benefit at all. There haven't been very good studies on those. But there really is no substitute. But getting that flu shot is important because that will reduce your chances by about 34 percent of getting the flu.
HEMMER: Wow. So who and when, then, when it comes to getting the shot?
GUPTA: Well, we have talked a lot about -- in the past, there have been vaccine shortages. So, because of that, people have sort of developed priorities of who should get the flu shots. They have talked about people over the age of 65, they have talked about people who have weakened immune systems and pregnant women.
This year, Bill, they say they are going to have more than enough flu vaccine. So really, everybody, even kids as young as six months old -- younger than six months, no -- but 6-months to 23-months, that is some high flu risk for those people as well, those kids as well, so they certainly need to get their flu shots. So just about everybody is a candidate for this shot, Bill.
HEMMER: You know, I have a lot of theories, right?
GUPTA: That I know.
HEMMER: Here is my theory on flu shots, because I had one, I think for the first time in 25 years, about three years ago, and I got sick from it, and I never want to do it again.
GUPTA: You got sick from the flu shot?
HEMMER: Yes. I directly tie it to that.
Do you hear about this? Common or not?
GUPTA: Well, a couple of things to keep in mind. First of all, the flu shot is not absolutely going to protect you against getting the flu. It reduces your chances by about 34 percent, which, in the scheme of things, is quite a bit.
Also, the most benefit from the flu shot is not going to come until about 14 days after you get the flu shot, so you want to get it early. You don't want to get it really in the midst of flu season. Get it now before flu season really begins.
And then Bill, like you and I have talked about, the flu shot is not a fool-proof method. You still have got to get plenty of sleep, which I know is hard for you getting up so early, not be out too late, and eat a balanced diet. All those things to try and boost your immune system. There is no substitute for that.
HEMMER: Well, I appreciate your pity today.
GUPTA: Not as bad as Jeffrey Toobin.
HEMMER: That was a stinger. Thanks, Sanjay.
GUPTA: And Bill, by the way, help me wish my father a happy birthday.
HEMMER: Oh, it is your dad's birthday today?
GUPTA: Yes, it is.
HEMMER: No kidding. Well, happy birthday to the good doctor's father. And where is he -- Ann Arbor, is he?
GUPTA: In Michigan, right.
HEMMER: Michigan. OK. Thank you, Sanjay.
GUPTA: Good seeing you.
HEMMER: All right. Candles on the cake.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
