At What Age Are Flu Shots Given

Allergic Reactions To The Flu Vaccine

CDC recommends getting flu shots early

It’s very rare for anyone to have a serious allergic reaction to the flu vaccine. If this does happen, it usually happens within minutes.

The person who vaccinates you will be trained to deal with allergic reactions and treat them immediately.

Anyone can report a suspected side effect of a vaccine through the Yellow Card Scheme.

Flu Vaccine And Covid

The nasal spray flu vaccine does not protect your child from COVID-19.

Children aged 12 years and older can get the COVID-19 vaccineat the same time as the flu vaccine.

As a precaution, children aged 5 to 11 years should wait at least 2 weeks between getting their COVID-19 vaccine and the flu vaccine.

Some Children Are At Higher Risk

Children at greatest risk of serious flu-related complications include the following:

Children younger than 6 months oldThese children are too young to be vaccinated. The best way to protect these children is for their parents to get a flu shot during pregnancy and for people around them to get vaccinated. A flu shot given during pregnancy has been shown to not only protect the pregnant parent from flu, but also to help protect the baby from flu infection for several months after birth, before he or she is old enough to be vaccinated.

Children aged 6 months up to their 5th birthdayFrom the 2010-2011 season to the 2019-2020 season, CDC estimates that flu-related hospitalizations among children younger than 5 . Even children in this age group who are otherwise healthy are at higher risk simply because of their age. Additionally, children 2 years of age up to their 5th birthday are more likely than healthy older children to be taken to a doctor, an urgent care center, or the emergency room because of flu1,2,3. To protect their health, all children 6 months and older should be vaccinated against flu each year. Vaccinating young children, their families, and other caregivers can also help protect them from getting sick.

American Indian and Alaskan Native childrenThese children are more likely to have severe flu illness that results in hospitalization or death.4,5

Children aged 6 months old through 18 years old with chronic health problems, including:

Chronic lung disease

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It’s A Good Idea To Have Flu Immunisation If You Share A House With Children Who Have Long

Flu immunisation is also recommended for those sharing a house with children and young people with long-term medical conditions. The flu spreads rapidly within households and children are particularly efficient spreaders.

It may not be free for household members – they could ask their employer about free or subsidised flu immunisation as many employers offer this to their employees. Flu immunisation is free for some adults for example, all those over 65 years of age and those with certain long-term conditions.

What To Do If Your Older Parent Or Relative Is Unwilling Or Unable To Get Vaccinated

Now, what if your older parent wont, or cant, get a flu shot?

Some older adults just dont want to get it. Here are some things you can try:

Ask them to clarify what their concerns are. Its important to start by listening, in order to understand what an older person believes about the flu and the flu shot.
Provide information to dispel myths and misunderstandings. Sometimes all people need is a little of the right kind of information.
Point out that it can benefit an older persons family members and neighbors. Getting a flu shot can reduce the risk that we pass the flu on to another person. People are sometimes more willing to take action to protect others than to protect their own health.
Make sure they know they wont have to pay for the flu shot. If you get the shot from a provider who takes Medicare, it shouldnt cost anything.
Offer to go together to get your flu shots. Sometimes it helps to make it a family outing.

There are also some older adults for whom its hard to get a flu shot, such as people who are homebound or have very limited transportation options.

If this is your situation, the main thing to do is encourage flu shots for family and others coming to the house. For older adults who dont get out much, their main source of exposure to influenza and other dangerous viruses will be from those who come to them.

Above all, dont panic if your older loved one cant or wont get a flu shot.

Can Flu Immunisation Make My Child Sick

Most people have no reaction to flu immunisation. Anyone can have flu immunisation except those who have had a previous severe allergic reaction to flu immunisation.

Sometimes your child may have one or more of the following responses:

soreness, redness, or swelling where the immunisation was given
fever

These are usually mild and only last 1 or 2 days.

Fever And Febrile Convulsions In Children Aged < 5 Years

In 2010, higher rates of fever and convulsions were reported in children aged < 5 years after influenza vaccination, especially in children aged < 3 years.

Only the Seqirus vaccines Fluvax and Fluvax Junior were associated with this side effect. After vaccination with Fluvax or Fluvax Junior, children < 5 years of age had convulsions at a rate of 4.4 per 1000 doses, compared with no such events reported among children who received an alternative vaccine in the same year.85

The Fluvax and Fluvax Junior vaccines are no longer available in Australia and available Seqirus vaccines have been reformulated.

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Is The Flu Vaccine Safe

Although the flu shot for babies can reduce the risk of many health complications, some parents worry about thimerosal in vaccines. This mercury-based preservative has previously been linked to autism in young children. In actuality, study after study continues to disprove any link between thimerosal in vaccines and autism in children. Plus, only the flu vaccines packaged in multi-dose vials contain thimerosal nowadays, and parents can always ask for thimerosal-free alternatives.

Research shows that the risks associated with a baby contracting the flu are far worse than any side effects that may occur as a result of the shot. “Hundreds of millions of Americans have safely received flu vaccines over the past 50 years, and there has been extensive research supporting the safety of flu vaccines,” says the CDC.

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Measles Mumps And Rubella Vaccine

Flu shots out later this year due to change in vaccine | KVUE

Measles, mumps and rubella vaccine – given at 12 months

The MMR vaccine is a three-in-one needle that protects against measles, mumps and rubella . It should be given to children soon after their first birthday and a second dose at 4-6 years of age with the measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccine.

Immunization against measles, mumps and rubella is required by law for all children attending school in Ontario, unless exempted.

This vaccine should also be given to adults who are not protected against measles, mumps or rubella. Pregnant women who have been told that they are not protected against rubella, should receive MMR vaccine as soon as they are no longer pregnant.

What is measles?

Measles can be a serious infection. It causes high fever, cough, rash, runny nose and watery eyes. Measles lasts for one to two weeks. Ear infections or pneumonia can happen in one out of every 10 children with measles. Measles can also be complicated by encephalitis, an infection of the brain, in about one out of every 1,000 children with measles. This may cause brain damage and developmental delays. Measles can also make a pregnant woman have a miscarriage or give birth prematurely.

Measles spreads from person to person very easily and quickly. People can get measles from an infected person coughing or sneezing around them or simply talking to them.

What is mumps?

What is rubella ?

Which Flu Vaccine Is The Most Effective

When flu vaccines are being produced, the strains included are standardized by the FDA. Each 2021-2022 vaccine includes:

Two type B viruses

This means that no matter what vaccine you choose, youre being protected against the same strains. Flu vaccines are typically between 40% and 60% effective from year to year. But when it comes to picking the right flu vaccine for you, you have to take other factors into account.

When Should I Get My Flu Vaccine

Flu vaccine effectiveness can have a lot to do with when you get it. Its recommended to get your flu vaccine about 2 weeks before flu season begins in your area preferably by the end of October. However, if you get the flu vaccine too early July or August, for instance you may not be protected for the entire flu season.

While September or October are the ideal times to get your flu vaccine, its still recommended to get it later than that if you were unable to do so earlier. If youre unsure when flu season begins in your area, talk to your local pharmacist or healthcare provider.

If youve recently received or will be receiving a COVID-19 vaccine including booster doses you dont have to wait a certain time to get the flu vaccine. You can even get them on the same day, if thats more convenient. These two vaccines arent known to interfere with each other.

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Special Consideration Regarding Egg Allergy

People with egg allergies can receive any licensed, recommended age-appropriate influenza vaccine that is otherwise appropriate. People who have a history of severe egg allergy should be vaccinated in a medical setting, supervised by a health care provider who is able to recognize and manage severe allergic reactions. Two completely egg-free flu vaccine options are available: quadrivalent recombinant vaccine and quadrivalent cell-based vaccine.

It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies that protect against flu to develop in the body.

Its best to be vaccinated before flu begins spreading in your community. September and October are generally good times to be vaccinated against flu. Ideally, everyone should be vaccinated by the end of October. However, even if you are not able to get vaccinated until November or later, vaccination is still recommended because flu most commonly peaks in February and significant activity can continue into May.

Additional considerations concerning the timing of vaccination for certain groups include:

Can I Get The Flu Vaccine If I Have A Latex Allergy

Influenza vaccines used in Australia dont contain latex and are safe for people with a latex allergy or sensitivity. While the product information for Fluarix Tetra and Fluad Quad state that some presentations of the vaccine cannot be considered latex-free, these presentations are actually not supplied in Australia.

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What Vaccines Are Available For The 2021

There are nine vaccines that have been approved and released by the FDA for the 2021-2022 flu season. This year, all FDA-approved flu vaccines are quadrivalent meaning they protect against four different strains of influenza . Heres a rundown of the available flu vaccines for the year.

Vaccine name
Intramuscular	Egg protein

Its important to note that pharmacies and healthcare providers may only carry a few brands of flu vaccine not all nine that are FDA-approved. If you are interested in or know you need a certain flu vaccine, its best to call ahead and see if your preferred vaccine is available.

How The Vaccine Can Prevent Flu

The vaccine doesn’t cause flu. The nasal spray vaccine contains weakened live viruses that help your child build up immunity to the flu.

If your child has a weakened immune system, they may not be able to handle the weakened viruses in the vaccine. You should tell this to the person giving the vaccine to your child.

A child with a weakened immune system will need the flu vaccine by injection.

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Adverse Events After Adjuvanted Influenza Vaccine

Clinical trials show a higher rate of injection site reactions in adults aged 65 years after receiving the adjuvanted influenza vaccine, compared with standard influenza vaccines.

Around 30% of people who received Fluad reported injection site reactions, compared with around 20% of people who received standard influenza vaccine. Both groups reported similar rates of systemic reactions.76 Overall, a similar proportion of people vaccinated with Fluad Quad experience injection site and systemic reactions as those vaccinated with Fluad.77

Rates of severe or serious adverse events do not increase after receiving the adjuvanted vaccine. This has been shown in clinical trials and post-licensure surveillance studies.76-79

Adjuvanted influenza vaccine is only registered for use in people aged 65 years. This vaccine is not recommended in younger people. However, clinical trials in some younger populations and post-licensure safety data after an adjuvanted vaccine was inadvertently given to younger people suggest a similar safety profile to that seen in people aged 65 years.80-82

Which Influenza Vaccination Is Best For Older Adults

Flu shots for older children, teens now available at pharmacies

Looking at the list of available flu shots can be overwhelming. In looking at this years CDC table of available influenza vaccines, I counted eight options that are available for people aged 65 or older:

4 standard-dose quadrivalent inactivated vaccines
1 standard-dose quadrivalent inactivated vaccine manufactured with a newer cell culture-based technology
1 high-dose quadrivalent inactivated vaccine
1 standard-dose quadrivalent adjuvanted inactivated vaccine
1 quadrivalent recombinant vaccine

Only Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent and Fluad Quadrivalent carry an age indication specific to 65 years or older.

However, the CDC does not recommend any influenza vaccine over another, for adults aged 65 or older.

So if you are an older adult, or if youre trying to arrange a flu shot for an aging relative, which flu vaccine should you try to get?

My take is this: if you have a choice, go for one of the vaccines designed for older adults.

Why? Because we know that as people get older, their immune systems tend to respond less vigorously to immunization. And because research suggests that the high-dose flu shot generates higher antibody titers and has been associated with better influenza outcomes.

We do have more research and experience for Fluzone High-Dose than for Fluad, so unless you are enrolling in a clinical trial of Fluad, I would suggest going with the Fluzone High-Dose.

Bottom line:

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When To Get The Flu Shot

Flu season typically runs from late fall to early spring.

Flu shots are now available for all Ontarians. You should get a flu shot as soon as possible because it takes two weeks to take effect.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization now recommends that COVID-19 vaccines may be given at the same time as the flu vaccine.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacy to learn more.

When Can Babies Get The Flu Shot

Babies younger than 6 months can’t receive the flu vaccine because their immune systems aren’t strong enough yet. Those older than 6 months should get the flu shot every season to prevent health complications and spreading the illness to others.

So when is the best time to get it? Because flu season strengthens in the fall and winterand because it takes two to four weeks to build effectivenessthe CDC recommends getting the flu vaccine by the end of October. However, getting the vaccine later still protects against the illness.

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Flu Shots For Seniors

Seniors who are 65 years or older also have a heightened risk for serious complications due to the flu. As you get older, your immune system struggles more to defend you against illnesses like the flu. The CDC estimates that between 70-85% of seasonal deaths related to flu occur in patients 65 and older. Patients in this age range also account for at least half of seasonal hospitalizations due to flu.

Thats why older people need to be sure to get vaccinated against the flu. Because of the immune system weakening in senior patients, time flu shots for maximum protection during flu season. September and October are typically the right time for flu shots for older patients.

To schedule your vaccination appointment, or to learn more about the flu vaccine, get in touch with the team at Healthy Life Family Medicine today. Call now, or request an appointment online.

What Vaccines Protect Against Flu

For the 2020-2021 flu season, CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccination for everyone 6 months and older.

Flu shots can be given to your child 6 months and older.
The nasal spray vaccine can be given to people 2 through 49 years of age. However, certain people with underlying medical conditions should not get the nasal spray vaccine.

Your childs doctor will know which vaccines are right for your child.

Also Check: Cape May County Health Department Flu Shots

Where Your Child Gets The Vaccine

GPs will offer the vaccine to pre-school children. Ask the doctor’s surgery about vaccination for your child.

Primary school children and those up to Year 12 in secondary school will be offered the vaccine in school.

To allow your child to be vaccinated, you need to sign and return a consent form to the school.

If your child is absent or they need a second dose of the vaccine, the school will ask you to contact your child’s GP.

What Happens If I Dont Vaccinate My Children

Vaccinating young children protects the wider community by reducing the number of people with the virus. It also helps protect the people who are more vulnerable like very young children, older people and people with certain medical conditions.

If your child is not immunised, then they are at a higher risk of serious infectious diseases and possible consequences, such as disability or even death.

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