Earlier than normal flu cases prompt demand for vaccines
New numbers released Thursday by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services show flu cases have tripled this month.
Last week, 900 tests came back positive. Earlier this month, that number was closer to 150.
After more than two years of being suppressed thanks to COVID-19 measures, the flu cases are spiking in North Carolina. Doctors and pharmacists are seeing a surge in folks coming in for flu shots, but one concern they have is the availability of the drugs used to treat the flu.
Flu shots are in high demand at the Health Park Pharmacy at 8300 Health Park in Raleigh, according to pharmacist Steve Adkins.
“[In] September, we start,” Steve Adkins said. “We have had a huge influx of individual patients, but also employers that have asked to come on site.”
Doctors WRAL News spoke with on Thursday said now is the time to get a flu shot.
“This year, to see people in early October with influenza is pretty unusual for us,” said Raleigh physician Dr. Jim Parsons.
Parsons has had more than a dozen calls in the past week of his patients down with the flu. He believes the flu is spiking due to less social distancing and masking at a minimum.
“Probably everybody’s antibodies are down, and that’s why it’s so important for people to get vaccine this year,” Parsons said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said seasonal flu vaccines are safe and effective. During the 2019-2020 flu season, flu vaccines prevented an estimated 7.5 million flu illnesses, 105,000 hospitalizations and 63,000 flu deaths across the U.S.
Antivirals like Tamiflu have been gathering dust on pharmacy shelves for the last two years while the flu largely disappeared during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, pharmacists in the Triangle said they are in high demand. Some wholesalers are even out.
“All of our preferred products … are unavailable currently,” Adkins said. “There are some, but the price point is much higher.”
WRAL News asked the state if it expect a Tamiflu shortage due to the early flu season spike.
“Currently, [the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services] is not aware of a statewide Tamiflu shortage impacting NC,” the state wrote. “There is always a chance for local inventory shortages around this time of year, but we have not been informed of any at this time.”
As of last week, flu cases make up 3% of emergency room visits in North Carolina.
