PORT ANGELES — Swine flu has come and gone, for now.
H1N1 influenza claimed three lives on the North Olympic Peninsula this flu season while thousands more experienced unpleasant but relatively mild symptoms from the highly contagious pandemic flu strain.
The end of March is considered to be the end of flu season in Washington state, and there’s no indication that the “third wave” of swine flu activity that health officials feared will happen.
“H1N1 is over for this season,” said Dr. Tom Locke public health officer for Clallam and Jefferson counties.
“We’re not seeing any signs of third- wave activity. If it was going to happen, we would have expected it to happen last month.”
Virus caused 3 deaths in Clallam
Complications of H1N1 caused three deaths in Clallam County in lab-confirmed cases, Locke said.
A woman in her late 30s and two men in their mid-50s died from swine flu between Nov. 5 and Dec. 19.
Jefferson County had no swine flu-related deaths. Kitsap County had five, Locke said.
Swine flu activity peaked on the Peninsula in mid-October — two months before the vaccine was made available to the general population.
Manufacturing delays caused shortages of H1N1 vaccine throughout the fall. The federal government used a multi-layered priority list to distribute the vaccine to the most vulnerable and those who were most likely to spread it — kids and young adults.
While the vaccine played a major role in stopping the third wave, it had little effect on the first two bursts, Locke said.
“We simply did not have enough vaccine to make a difference,” Locke said.
“By the time the vaccine was widely available in mid-December, H1N1 was already disappearing.
“The fundamental problem was they didn’t have enough time to make it.”
The problem was compounded by the fact that virus strains used to make the vaccine were slow growing, Locke said.
By December, supply of the vaccine had finally caught up with demand, and anyone who wanted the free flu shots could get them.
A quarter vaccinated
Locke estimates that a quarter of North Olympic Peninsula residents were vaccinated for H1N1.
There was some concern that travel associated with last month’s Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, would stir up swine flu activity.
“There’s no evidence that that has happened,” Locke said.
Meanwhile, the regular flu season never really materialized. Seasonal flu activity typically begins in January.
Separate vaccines were needed for swine flu and the regular flu, and more people got shots for both this season than in years past nationwide.
“A record number of people got the seasonal flu vaccine this year,” Locke said. “There were 155 million doses, and it’s all gone.”
Health officials say this is the first season that the seasonal flu was diverted by the vaccine.
Next winter, the H1N1 and regular flu vaccine will be combined into one dose. Shortages and a priority list are not anticipated because manufactures have plenty of time to stock up the supply.
Robust virus
“We know H1N1 will be back,” Locke said. “It’s a robust virus and very contagious. Fortunately, in most cases, the symptoms are mild.”
About half the population has been infected by H1N1 or vaccinated for it.
“When more than 50 percent of the population is immune, outbreaks become less and less likely,” Locke said.
Isolated outbreaks are still possible, especially in Asia, Eastern Europe and some tropical counties, Locke said.
The swine flu vaccine is available for free at the Clallam and Jefferson County health departments. It is also available at some pharmacies for a small charge.
Until next winter, health officials stress prevention to slow the spread of the common cold. They say the best way to prevent the cold and flu is wash hands, cover coughs and stay home when sick.
________
Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.