WASHINGTON — Flu season reached Washington early, and health providers are scrambling to get ahead of it.
Two flu-related deaths were reported over the last week.
The uptick in cases means more people are getting their vaccines earlier.
At Katterman’s Pharmacy in Laurelhurst, staff are administering more than 200 vaccines every day, with even more on Friday.
“We’ve got all hands on deck, and we’ve hired extra staff,” said Beverly Schaefer, pharmacist at Katterman’s. “Today school is out, so we will probably do 400 today, but we’ve got plenty of vaccines.”
Data from Walgreens shows Washington state at twice the national average for flu activity.
Shaefer told KIRO 7 vaccinating seniors and children should be the highest priority.
“Seniors are the most important. Second most important would probably be kids,” she said. “Kids going to school, it’s like a little breeding ground of germs there. They come home and bring it for the whole family.”
Thurston County and Snohomish County both reported flu deaths this week, both of whom were seniors.
“It was someone who was over 65 and had influenza and died,” said Thurston County Health Officer Barbra Villona.
Villona told KIRO 7 it is highly unusual for Washington to see an uptick in cases this early.
“This is an outlier,” she said. “If you look over the last seven years, we have never been quite this high if you are looking at the percentage of emergency department visits.”
Health experts told KIRO 7 the season will peak early as well, but it is difficult to tell when exactly that will happen.
“This looks like it is going to be an early peaking season, but we are in the first two or three innings, so it’s hard to know how long the season will last,” said Dr. Yuan-Po Tu of Optum Washington.
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