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Lincoln Protects Sailors Ahead of Flu Season

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS091021-06
Release Date: 10/21/2009 5:18:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kat Corona, USS Abraham Lincoln Public Affairs

BREMERTON, Wash. (NNS) -- USS Abraham Lincoln's (CVN 72) Health Services Department inoculated more than 2,000 Sailors Oct. 5-9 with the Flumist (live) vaccination to prevent influenza outbreaks during this flu season.

Unlike traditional, needle-injected flu vaccinations, Flumist is a painless vaccine that is sprayed into a person's nostrils. It contains a live, weakened virus rather than the dead strain used in traditional flu shots. The live strain of the virus is more effective because it changes every year as the influenza virus evolves, said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Jeffery Allen of Lincoln's Health Services Department and native of Sacramento, Calif. This year the seasonal flu vaccine includes three strains of the most common circulating flu viruses.

Influenza is not the common cold, and can be a severe to life-threatening illness, which is why it is important to be immunized. An annual influenza vaccine immunization protects many people from getting the disease or become severely ill.

"On average 260,000 people are hospitalized because of influenza and 30,000 of those people die," said Allen. "That's why it's important to get the vaccine to prevent the flu."

Health Services Department Sailors screened every Lincoln Sailor to ensure they were able to receive the vaccination.

"The Flumist can be received by most people under the age of 50 who are not pregnant," said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Latoya Goldsmith of Abe's Health Services Department and native of Stockton, Calif. "There are several medical conditions that can disqualify a person from receiving the vaccination such as kidney, heart or liver problems or sensitivity to egg products. For those disqualified from the Flumist, we have the shot available."

Immunization remains the primary method of reducing seasonal influenza illness and its complications, said Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) Wayne Hachey, director of preventive medicine for Defense Department Health Affairs. The seasonal influenza vaccine not only helps protect vaccinated individuals, but also helps protect entire communities by preventing and reducing the spread of the virus.

In addition to their inoculations, Lincoln Sailors were given tips to help decrease the spread of the flu this season. They were reminded to wash their hands in soapy water often and to use alcohol-based hand sanitizers when they aren't able to get to a sink. They were also told to avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Other tips to decrease the spread of the virus include staying at home from work, school and errands while ill, covering their mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and not touching their eyes, nose or mouth throughout the flu season.

Flumist (live) only combats the seasonal influenza virus and not the H1N1 virus. Defense Department has mandated all service members receive the seasonal flue and the H1N1 vaccination this season. Lincoln's Health Services Department is ordering the vaccinations and will begin administering them as soon as they get to the ship, said Goldsmith.

Navy Medicine will be monitoring the seasonal influenza viruses carefully over the coming weeks and months and will be proactive in developing contingency plans to address any public health issues if required. Force health protection is the responsibility of every commander and servicemember and it is important for everyone to take the proper actions to protect personnel, beneficiaries, coworkers and family members against the seasonal influenza.