Doctors urge patients: Get your flu shot

Doctors are urging patients to be vaccinated as another flu season looms, rolling up their sleeves to get the shots themselves and encouraging others in health care to do the same.

"I always lead by example," said Dr. Aaron Glatt, president and chief executive of St. Joseph Hospital in Bethpage, who plans to be vaccinated this week.

Flu season begins in October and runs through spring, peaking in January.

As is customary, this year's vaccine contains the three most commonly circulating influenza strains, including H1N1. The H1N1 component is a milder version of the pandemic strain that circled the globe two years ago.

Even though this year's vaccine protects against the same strains as last year's inoculation, doctors caution that flu protection wanes, which explains why vaccination must be repeated annually. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for the body to produce flu-fighting antibodies.

This year, a so-called microneedle that delivers the vaccine under the skin is available, instead of the larger needle designed for deeper muscle injection. The vaccine is also available as a nasal spray.

The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasized this month that most children should be vaccinated. Pregnant women, older adults, health care workers and other vulnerable groups are especially urged to get the vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 37 percent of health care workers nationwide aren't vaccinated annually.

Dr. Susan Donelan, hospital epidemiologist at Stony Brook University Medical Center, said flu shots at her institution are provided to all health care workers and support staff "free of charge."

Long Island drew a national spotlight two years ago when dozens of health care workers balked against a state mandate, refusing H1N1 vaccinations, despite a flu pandemic. Although the mandate was withdrawn, vaccine resistance persisted.

For most people, the biggest decision is whether to get vaccinated now -- before the end of summer -- or closer to the start of flu season.

"There's no downside to getting vaccinated early," said Dr. Laurie Ward, who heads community medicine at Nassau University Medical Center. She got her shot Friday.

Ward, who oversees NUMC's community vaccine outreach programs, said she's not surprised by the proliferation of signs at pharmacies and supermarkets advertising the vaccine. "I saw people last weekend getting their shots at a Stop & Shop," she said.

In average years without notable epidemics, about 250,000 people in the United States are hospitalized for influenza complications, according to the CDC, which also estimates 36,000 to 50,000 flu-related deaths. Most deaths are attributed to pneumonia.