Flu drug policy extended to next month

WEATHER WATCH: With flu in an epidemic period and the peak season for respiratory diseases starting, expanded eligibility has been extended to Nov. 15, an official said

• By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

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Expanded eligibility for flu antiviral drug prescriptions funded by the government has been extended to the middle of next month, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday.

Local flu activity is slowing, but it is still in the epidemic period, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said, adding that there were 123,820 medical visits for flu-like illness last week, down 5.4 percent from the previous week.

There were 159 severe flu cases and 44 flu-related deaths reported last week, Guo said

National Taiwan University Hospital Bei-Hu Branch superintendent Chan Ding-cheng speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday.

Photo: CNA

The dominant flu virus in Taiwan is influenza A(H1N1), accounting for 92.7 percent of influenza viruses detected through laboratory surveillance in the past four weeks, he said.

CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Min-cheng (林明誠) said that as the flu is in an epidemic period, temperatures are dropping and the peak season for respiratory diseases is starting, expanded eligibility for government-funded flu antiviral drugs has been extended to Nov. 15.

Seven groups deemed at higher risk of spreading the flu qualify for the drugs. Doctors can prescribe government-funded flu antiviral drugs if a patient in one of the groups has flu-like symptoms.

The groups are: healthcare and disease prevention workers; residents and staff of residential care and long-term care institutions; preschool and childcare-facility workers, and home-based childcare providers; students from preschool through senior high or vocational school, and years one to three of five-year junior colleges; people living with or caring for those at high risk of severe flu; livestock farming and animal disease prevention personnel; and personnel in other high-density facilities (such as the military) susceptible to cluster outbreaks.

Weekly COVID-19 activity has been below the epidemic threshold for two consecutive weeks, so the epidemic period has ended, Guo said.

However, 25 severe COVID-19 cases and five deaths were reported last week, so people who are at higher risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19 or flu are advised to get vaccinated as soon as possible, he said.

The epidemic period of the seasonal flu might end early next month at the soonest, but it still depends on vaccine coverage and whether community immunity is established, Lin said.

National Taiwan University Hospital Bei-Hu Branch superintendent Chan Ding-cheng (詹鼎正), a geriatrician, said elderly people are more prone to getting flu and developing severe illness, while many studies show that getting vaccinated can reduce the risk of severe illness.

Some people are worried about side effects from vaccines, but those who are not allergic to its ingredients and have previously received flu shots without severe adverse reactions should have no issues getting another shot, Chan said.

Some people experience mild swelling, redness and soreness at the injection site, or headaches, tiredness or mild fever, but they typically resolve on their own within one or two days, he said, adding that the symptoms are much milder than the symptoms from getting the flu or its severe complications.

An elderly woman who has diabetes and lung conditions traveled to Thailand in July and contracted flu there, developing severe symptoms, he said.

She was hospitalized in an intensive care unit for about a month and later transferred to a general hospital room, he said.

The patient spent more than NT$600,000 on medical expenses in Thailand, Chan said, urging those who are eligible to get vaccinated.

Aside from the flu vaccine, COVID-19 vaccines not only reduce the risk of severe illness, but studies also show that they can reduce the risk of stroke and acute myocardial infarction, so he encourages his elderly patients to get flu and COVID-19 vaccines, he said.