College student latest victim of flu in Washington

The death of a 23-year-old college student in Thurston County shows the flu can be fatal for anyone at any age.

Thurston County Health Officer Dr. Diana Yu says the woman got the flu at the end of January and died 5 days later. She said they don’t often see a young healthy person get influenza and then die from complication from the flu and pneumonia.

Dr. Yu says that often you become more susceptible to getting a second infection after the flu, but they don’t normally see that happen in a “healthy, young individual.”

While the flu vaccine may not be 100 percent effective, Yu said it’s the best defense we have in the fight against influenza.

“There’s a misconception out there – that you should save the flu shots for the elderly or people who are at risk. The reality is, the flu shot works better in healthy people,” says Yu.

During vaccine shortages, she says we should actually be giving the vaccine to healthy people: people who provide health care, provide EMS services, teachers in schools, people who take care of children, work in nursing homes, those sort of folks who could end up spreading it to the more vulnerable parts of our community.

Statewide, 28 people have died from the flu this season.

A sixth resident of Snohomish County, an elderly man died from flu complications Jan. 24.

The latest incident has Yu heeding a warning. “Just because you’re young and healthy doesn’t mean you will be able to get through influenza unscathed.”