How Long Does The Flu Shot Last
The flu shot can help protect you and your family from the flu for the duration of the current years flu season. Getting a flu shot every year is important, as there are new and different flu strains that come into circulation every year. If you get the flu shot in September, the vaccine can protect you well until the end of flu season, which can last for up to 8 months according to the FDA.
What Is The Flu
Influenza is a highly contagious respiratory illness thats caused by the influenza virus. There are two main types of influenza virus: type A and type B. These main types are further subdivided into multiple subtypes and strains, including the well-known H1N1 strain. The effect each of these strains may have on you depends on your age and overall health.
If you have the flu, symptoms may include:
- Chills
- Headaches
- Fatigue
In more extreme cases, you may experience vomiting and diarrhea. Although symptoms tend to emerge suddenly, you may find yourself experiencing a milder version in the early stages of the virus. Its also important to note that you may be a carrier for the virus even if you arent experiencing any symptoms yourself.
Quadrivalent Vaccines For Seasonal Flu
A quadrivalent flu vaccine administered by nasal mist was approved by the FDA in March 2012. Fluarix Quadrivalent was approved by the FDA in December 2012.
In 2014, the Canadian National Advisory Committee on Immunization published a review of quadrivalent influenza vaccines.
Starting with the 2018-2019 influenza season most of the regular-dose egg-based flu shots and all the recombinant and cell-grown flu vaccines in the United States are quadrivalent. In the 2019â2020 influenza season all regular-dose flu shots and all recombinant influenza vaccine in the United States are quadrivalent.
In November 2019, the FDA approved Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent for use in the United States starting with the 2020-2021 influenza season.
In February 2020, the FDA approved Fluad Quadrivalent for use in the United States. In July 2020, the FDA approved both Fluad and Fluad Quadrivalent for use in the United States for the 2020â2021 influenza season.
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Flu Shots For The 2022
Influenza vaccines are manufactured differently, and preparations have various indications as licensed by the U.S. FDA. The types of influenza vaccines include inactivated influenza vaccines and live attenuated influenza vaccines , both quadrivalent and trivalent vaccines.
The WHO published its recommended composition of influenza virus vaccines for use in the 2022-2023 Northern Hemisphere influenza season on Feb. 25, 2022. The WHO recommendations are similar to the Southern Hemisphere’s 2022 flu season. And the WHO published FAQs to explain the changes.
On March 3, 2022, the FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee selected the influenza vaccine strains for the 20222023 season in the Northern Hemisphere.
There Are 2 Types Of Flu Shots To Choose From: Which One Should You Get
Youve heard it repeatedly: You should get your annual flu shot. You can go to your local pharmacy, doctors office, or hospital to get the shot, but you should probably know that there are two different types of shots, each of which offers varying coverage.
One is the trivalent vaccine, and the other, the quadrivalent vaccine. The trivalent vaccine protects against three strains of the flu an influenza A, or H1N1, virus an influenza A, or H3N2, virus and an influenza B virus. The quadrivalent vaccine, meanwhile, protects against four strains: all of the strains in the trivalent vaccine, plus an additional B virus strain.
There is a type of quadrivalent flu shot that can be given to children as young as 6 months, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Other quadrivalent flu shots are approved for people ages 3 and up.
So which one are you likely to get, and should you be opting for something different?
In general, youre probably getting the quadrivalent vaccine, infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Most places are going to be primarily stocking the quadrivalent, he says. You want to get this vaccine because it covers against more strains.
If you know you want to get your flu shot and arent sure which type youre getting, just ask. Your doctor or pharmacist should be able to tell you.
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Safety And Side Effects
The inactivated flu vaccine does not contain the live virus and cannot cause flu. Flu vaccines have a very good safety record. The most commonly reported side effects of flu vaccines are:
- pain, swelling, bruising, hardness or redness at the injection site
- slightly raised temperature
- tiredness
- feeling generally unwell
A higher rate of these common side effects has been reported with Fluad, an adjuvanted trivalent vaccine which was recommended for people aged 65 and over in previous years. This year, Fluad Tetra is being offered to people aged over 65, which also uses an adjuvant. Side effects usually last 1-2 days.
There are several different makes of flu vaccine available each year. For more information on side effects, ask for the Patient Information Leaflet for the vaccine you are offered. Additional information about vaccine side effects, anaphylaxis and adverse reactions can be found here.
Which Option Is Best For You
If youre getting the flu vaccine, you may wonder whether one option is better than others. Your doctor can point you to the one that should work best for you.
In certain years, the nasal spray hasnt been recommended due to effectiveness concerns. But both the shot and the nasal spray are recommended for the 2020 to 2021 flu season.
For the most part, the flu vaccine is safe. But you should check with your doctor before getting it if you have one the following:
- a previous bad reaction to the vaccine or its ingredients
- a fever
Its not unusual to experience mild flu-like symptoms after a vaccination. These symptoms tend to disappear after one to two days. Other common side effects of the vaccine include soreness and redness at the injection site.
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Who Shouldnt Get Quadrivalent Flu Vaccine
Different influenza vaccines are approved for use in people in different age groups. In addition, some vaccines are not recommended for certain groups of people. Factors that can determine a persons suitability for vaccination, or vaccination with a particular vaccine, include a persons age, health and any allergies to flu vaccine or its components. For more information, visit Who Should and Who Should NOT get a Flu Vaccine.
Types Of Flu Shots For The 2021
According to the CDC, there are three types of flu viruses: types A, B, and C. Type A tends to be more serious and is likely to mutate into a new strain to which people havent yet developed resistance. Type B flu viruses are less severe than type A viruses but most often affect young children. Type C flu viruses cause illnesses similar to the common cold.
Every flu season, researchers find that usually one or two strains of Type A and Type B viruses are in circulation.
In response to the identified strains, two common vaccinations are available each year:
- Trivalent This vaccine protects against three strains of the flu: two A strains and one B strain. The trivalent vaccines have traditionally been the most popular and affordable flu vaccine.
- Quadrivalent This vaccine offers protection against four strains: two A strains and two B strains. For the 2021-2022 flu season, all regular-dose flu shots will be quadrivalent and protect from all four strains of the flu virus.
Your primary care doctor or flu shot provider can advise which type of flu shot will be best for you and your family members and answer any questions you have about the ingredients in the flu shot. Current flu vaccine options include:
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Different Types Of Flu Vaccines: Which One Is Right For You
Flu season is quickly approaching in the United States.
Per the CDCs recommendation, all individuals aged six-months and older should receive a flu vaccine each year ideally in October to protect themselves against the flu.
However, there are multiple types of flu vaccines to choose from depending on your age, health conditions, and personal preferences. In this article, we are going to explain these differences so you can explore which vaccine type is right for you.
Iv2 Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine
LAIV contains standardized quantities of FFU of live attenuated influenza virus reassortants. The virus strains in LAIV are cold-adapted and temperature sensitive, so they replicate in the nasal mucosa rather than the lower respiratory tract, and they are attenuated, so they do not produce ILI. There have been no reported or documented cases, and no theoretical or scientific basis to suggest transmission of vaccine virus would occur to the individual administering LAIV. As a live replicating whole virus formulation administered intranasally, it elicits mucosal immunity, which may more closely mimic natural infection.
Vaccine currently authorized for use:
- FluMist® Quadrivalent
Efficacy and effectiveness
After careful review of the available Canadian and international LAIV VE data over many influenza seasons, NACI concluded that the current evidence is consistent with LAIV providing comparable protection against influenza to that afforded by IIV and does not support a recommendation for the preferential use of LAIV in children 2-17 years of age.
Refer to the Statement on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine for 2018-2019 for detailed information supporting this recommendation.
Immunogenicity
LAIV4 has shown non-inferiority based on immunogenicity compared to LAIV3 in both children and adults. The immune response to the B strain found only in the quadrivalent formulation was better in children who received the quadrivalent vaccine Footnote 158, Footnote 159, Footnote 160.
Safety
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When Should You Get A Flu Shot
Exactly when the flu season starts and ends is unpredictable, so health officials recommend that people get their flu shot in early fall, preferably by the end of October, the CDC says. The same recommendation applies this year as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Flu activity typically peaks in January or February.
“We’d like to get as many people protected against influenza before influenza becomes active in communities across the country,” Schaffner said.
Most flu vaccines are given before Thanksgiving, Schaffner said, but people can still get their shot throughout the winter months. Each season’s flu shot expires in June of that year, but Schaffner said that he would consider it “too late” to get a flu vaccine after March, unless a person is traveling to the Southern Hemisphere .
After vaccination, it takes a person about two weeks to build up immunity against the flu.
People can visit the CDC’s VaccineFinder.org to find flu shot locations.
Myth #: You Don’t Need To Get The Flu Vaccine Every Year
There are two reasons why doctors recommend that people get the flu vaccine every year, Cunningham said.
For one, the strains of the flu virus that are circulating change from year to year. “It’s like the common cold there’s more than one type of virus that causes the flu,” and, in fact, there are hundreds of flu viruses, he said.
Each year, health officials identify the virus strains that are the most likely to cause illness during the upcoming flu season, according to the CDC.
Second, the immunity you develop after getting the shot wanes by the following year. “If you get your shot in August, you’ll be safe through March, but those antibodies won’t be for the next flu season,” Cunningham said.
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Who Gets Hit The Hardest By The Flu
Children, older adults, pregnant women, anyone with a chronic medical condition, and health care workers are especially vulnerable to getting the flu or to having complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus and ear infections.
Children younger than 2 are especially vulnerable. Those ages 6 months and under are also much more likely to get complications, but they’re too young to be vaccinated, so the best idea is to be sure everyone in contact with them is vaccinated.
Adults ages 65 years and above are at greater risk than younger, healthy adults due to weakened immune systems. Typically, these older adults account for most flu-related deaths and more than half of flu-related hospitalizations.
Pregnant women, as well as those who have delivered a baby in the previous 2 weeks, are more likely to have a severe illness than women who aren’t pregnant.
Anyone with a chronic medical condition is more likely to have complications. These conditions include:
- Asthma
- Shots made with a virus grown in cell culture, not eggs. They can be taken by people with allergies.
- Shots made using a different technology that does not require the use of the flu virus
- Nasal spray vaccine made with a live virus. Approved for ages 2 to 49, it is not for pregnant women and people with weakened immunity, among other conditions.
Children who have never been vaccinated against the flu will need two doses, spaced at least 4 weeks apart.
I1 New Or Updated Information For 2020
NACI recently reassessed the wording for the recommendation on the vaccination of health care workers and other care providers as a group for whom influenza vaccination is particularly recommended. The existing evidence on HCW influenza vaccination and the reduction of morbidity associated with influenza in patients being cared for by a HCW in health care settings was considered in the context of ethics and acceptability. NACI continues to recommend that, in the absence of contraindications, HCWs and other care providers in facilities and community settings should be vaccinated annually against influenza, and recommends the inclusion of this group among the particularly recommended recipients of influenza vaccine. NACI considers the receipt of influenza vaccination to be an essential component of the standard of care for all HCWs and other care providers for their own protection and that of their patients. This group should consider annual influenza vaccination as part of their responsibilities to provide the highest standard of care.
Recommendation on the use of LAIV in HIV-infected individuals
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Types Of Flu Shots Explained
by Chris Defrancesco, University of Connecticut
Flu season is approaching and with that comes the annual reminder to get a flu shot. But it’s more complicated than a simple recommendation. How do we know which of the available influenza vaccines to get, and when? UConn Today asked Laura Haynes, a professor of immunology at UConn Health who studies the efficacy of the flu vaccine in older patients at the UConn Center on Aging, what we need to know about protecting ourselves and others this flu season.
Why is it important, especially for the elderly population, to protect against influenza?
When should people get their flu shot?
Children and younger adults should get their vaccinations in October since it takes a couple of weeks for full immunity to be generated. Older adults should get their vaccinations a little later, before or around Thanksgiving. This later time point for older adults is due to the fact that vaccine-induced immunity wanes faster in the elderly. By waiting a few weeks for vaccination, protection can be extended further into the winter months, when flu is most likely to be spreading.
What forms of the flu vaccine are available, and which are best for whom?
Why isn’t the high-dose vaccine recommended for everyone?
This high-dose vaccine has recently been shown to be safe and effective in a study of nearly 32,000 older adults, yet it still remains to be seen who should be receiving the high-dose as opposed to the regular vaccine.
Explore further
What Should I Do If I Have Had A Serious Reaction To Seasonal Flu Vaccine
Tell your doctor what happened, the date and time it happened, and when you got the flu shot.
Ask your doctor, nurse, or health department to file a Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting Systemexternal icon form, or call VAERS at 1-800-822-7967. Reports are welcome from all concerned individuals: patients, parents, health care providers, pharmacists and vaccine manufacturers.
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What Are The Types Of Flu Vaccines
Two types of flu vaccine are available for the 20202021 flu season. Both protect against the four types of influenza virus that are causing disease this season::
- the flu shot, which is injected with a needle
- the nasal spray, a mist which gets sprayed into the nostrils
In the past, the nasal spray vaccine wasn’t recommended for kids because it didn’t seem to work well enough. The newer version appears to work as well as the shot. So either vaccine can be given this year, depending on the child’s age and general health.
The nasal spray is only for healthy people ages 249. People with weak immune systems or some health conditions and pregnant women should not get the nasal spray vaccine.
What Kinds Of Flu Shots Are There
Flu shots known as “quadrivalent vaccines” protect against four strains of flu virus. These include two influenza A strains H1N1 and H3N2 and two influenza B strains. Previously, some flu shots protected against three strains, and were known as trivalent flu vaccines, but starting in the 2021-2022 season, all flu shots are quadrivalent, according to the CDC.
In addition to the standard-dose flu vaccine given through a needle, flu shots are available in several different forms. These include a high-dose version for those ages 65 and older a “cell-based” version that’s grown in animal cells rather than hen’s eggs and is approved for people ages 4 and older a “recombinant” vaccine that does not use the full influenza virus or chicken eggs in the production process and is approved for people ages 18 and older and a nasal spray, which is approved for healthy people ages 2 to 49, but not for pregnant women.
There is also a needle-free flu shot, delivered by a so-called jet injector, which uses a high-pressure stream of fluid to inject the vaccine, the CDC says. It is approved for adults ages 18 to 64.
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