Goodbye summer, hello flu season: Here's what you need to know

Signs of flu season already are arriving from above.

Last week passengers on three flights to the U.S. had flu-like symptoms while traveling and were evaluated when the planes touched down.

With last year's devastating season, in which 35 people died in Delaware, medical officials are already banging the drum about the importance of flu vaccine shots.

2017 was Delaware's deadliest flu season since the state started keeping records in 2004.

While there were more than 9,000 confirmed cases, officials said thousands more had the flu, but didn't come through the official testing system. 

Here's what you need to know about this year's flu season:

The flu is already in the news

In the span of two days, passengers on three flights to U.S. cities reportedly had flu-like symptoms while travelling.

A dozen passengers on two American Airlines flights from Europe to Philadelphia had a sore throat and cough, but no fever, when they landed on Thursday. 

Just the day before, people on an Emirates flight from Dubai to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York became ill. Several people tested positive for flu and other respiratory viruses. 

CDC officials urge people to avoid travelling if they feel sick, or for at least 24 hours after their fever breaks. 

It's never too early to get the flu shot

The best way to avoid getting the flu is to get the vaccination in the beginning of the season, health officials said.

"The reality is the sooner you get it, the quicker you boost your immune system," said Dr. Karyl Rattay, director of the Division of Public Health.  

CDC officials said it can take two weeks after the vaccination for antibodies — that protect against the flu — to develop. 

The general recommendation is for people to get the shot in October, but many doctors and pharmacies already have the flu shots available, Rattay said. 

The Division of Public Health will hold its annual flu clinics on Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in front of the Porter State Service Center at 509 W 8th St. in Wilmington. A drive-thru clinic will be Oct. 9 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. in front of the DelDOT Administration Building at 800 S Bay Road in Dover.  

The vaccine will likely be more effective than it was last year

A major reason last year's flu season was so intense was because the vaccine was less effective than expected. 

It was only about 25 percent effective against the H3N2 strain, which is particularly virulent and can make people sicker, especially if they have underlying conditions such as diabetes or asthma.

Rattay said some research of the flu season in the eastern hemisphere has shown that this year's vaccine will be a "pretty good match."

"But we don't know for sure yet," she said.   

No, you can't get the flu from the flu shot 

Health officials say it's not possible for people to get influenza from the vaccine, since the viruses in the shot are killed. 

But some people can experience mild side effects in the days after they received the shot as their body revs up to improve their immunity. Possible symptoms can include soreness, headache, nausea, fever and muscle aches, CDC officials said. 

The nasal spray shot is OK — in some cases

For this year's flu season, the nasal spray is considered to be a legitimate form of a vaccine. 

In previous years, this hasn't been the case. Research found it wasn't effective then. 

The year's nasal spray, which will contain the H1N1 and H3N2 virus, is approved for people ages 2 to 49 and for women who are not pregnant, CDC officials said. Children younger than age 2, people who are older than 50 and those who have compromised immune systems should not receive the nasal spray vaccine. 

The nasal spray will not be offered at any of the Division of Public Health's flu clinics. 

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Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 324-2386 or mnewman@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @MereNewman.