Swine flu, also known as H1N1, is once again a major virus for this year’s flu season, reports the Tampa Bay Times.  Nationwide, the H1N1 virus has been the dominant strain detected in laboratories this season for the first time since the 2009-2010 season. Since October, there have been more than 1,580 confirmed cases of flu-associated hospitalizations. Six children have died of complications.  The current flu vaccine fights the H1N1 virus, which was the strain that dominated the 2009-2010 season and was blamed for an estimated 12,470 deaths in the United States.

Officials do not track adult deaths from the flu, which makes gauging the impact difficult.  However, some states are making their own efforts to combat this problem.  Florida health officials have been responding following reports that one pregnant woman in Florida has died and at least four other pregnant women hospitalized because of flu this season.  Given that this current vaccine protects against H1N1 and the flu shot is generally safe for pregnant women, the state’s Medicaid program has decided to pay for vaccinations for nearly 65,000 pregnant enrollees through the end of March.

For some time now, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been encouraging people to get flu shots before it is too late, reports KETK News.  Last season was the worst in flu season history, hospitalizing more than 3,000 people and killing 169 children.  The flu vaccination has the potential to protect millions, but only 40 percent of eligible individuals actually get their flu shot.  Flu shots sometimes run out, so the CDC is urging people to get their shots sooner rather than later, when they may already have gotten sick and shots may not be available.

As noted in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published by the CDC, officials estimated that, during the 2012-2013 flu season, vaccination prevented an estimated 6.6 million influenza cases that would have required medical attention or hospitalization.  Vaccination also prevented an estimated 3.2 million medically attended illnesses.  However, less than half of individuals over the age of six months were vaccinated, demonstrating that the impact of vaccination could have been greatly increased.

According to the government website Flu.gov, the flu vaccine is currently still available in shot and nasal spray form.  The vaccine is associated with mild reactions such as soreness, headaches, and fever.  The site also includes a tool to find the closest place to get the flu shot, which is generally available at major retail and grocery pharmacies.