Why Is The Hpv Vaccine Recommended
HPV can cause some types of cancer and genital warts. The vaccine is an important way to prevent infection and the spread of HPV. It works best when given before someone might be exposed to the virus.
The HPV vaccine doesn’t protect against all types of HPV. So people who are sexually active should always use condoms. Girls and women should see their gynecologist regularly and get pap smears as recommended .
Teens or young adults who didn’t start or complete the series of shots can get it up to age 45.
You Can Still Get The Flu But It May Not Be As Severe
The flu vaccine usually reduces the risk of getting sick with the flu each year by between 40% and 60%, depending on the strain that circulates and how well the vaccine matches that strain.
While the vaccine cannot guarantee you wont get sick, it helps protect against severe illness that can lead to hospitalization and death, similar to the COVID shot. Data found this years flu shot reduces hospitalization risk by nearly 50%, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . People with chronic conditions, like lung or heart disease, are at a higher risk of getting severely sick from the flu, so the vaccine is crucial in preventing hospitalization in this group.
When we talk about severe disease, were talking about people getting in the hospital, exacerbating underlying chronic illness, or dying from infection, Berman says.
In the 20192020 flu season, the CDC estimates, the vaccine prevented 7.5 million flu cases, over 100,000 hospitalizations, and over 6,000 deaths.
If A Person Has Begun Immunisation With The Existing Gardasil Vaccine Can They Complete The Course With Gardasil 9
People who have begun immunisation with the HPV4 vaccine should complete with HPV4 while it is available, which is expected to be until early 2017.
Once stocks of HPV4 have run out, people will complete their course with Gardasil 9.
Gardasil 9 protects against nine types of HPV, whereas HPV4 protects against four types. It is not known whether a mixed schedule gives any protection against the five additional HPV types included in Gardasil 9.
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What Is Bivalent Anyways
Abdul-Mutakabbir has heard of patients not getting the bivalent shot because they didnt know what it was. Bivalent boosters, meaning two, are designed to combat the most virulent strains of the omicron subvariants of the coronavirus BA.4 and BA.5. The updated shot was authorized in September for adults and children as young as 5 by the Food and Drug Administration.
Vaccines And Injections That Can Be Provided In A Pharmacy Include:
- Herpes Zoster Vaccine
- Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine
- Hepatitis A and B Vaccine
- Typhoid Fever Vaccine
- Influenza Vaccine
- Measles, Mumps and Rubella Vaccine
- Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis Vaccine
- Vitamin B12 Injections
- Japanese Encephalitis*
*Adminstrator must hold a Certificate in Travel HealthTM or other approved designation to provide this service.
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It’s More Important Than Ever To Get Vaccinated This Year
We are in the midst of a significant and early uptick in cases and severity, says Dr. Hanak. The CDC reported the most flu-related hospitalizations at this point in the year since the pandemic, with an estimated 880,000 cases of flu nationwide, he notes. Influenza is responsible for thousands of hospitalizations and hundreds of deaths each year, and while the flu vaccine does not protect 100 percent of people from actually contracting the flu, much like the COVID vaccine, it can prevent severe illness.
And side effects are transient and typically last one to two days after vaccination, says Sindhu Aderson, MD, the medical director of Northwestern Medicine Immediate Care. People who are vaccinated and get sick anyway tend to experience less severe symptoms as well as decrease their risk of hospitalization. This is why the flu shot is an incredibly important tool to keep ourselves and those around us safe, she says.
If you are thinking of getting a flu shot this year, plan accordingly. The vaccine can take 14 days to take full effect, according to Dr. Hanak, so take into account any holiday plans or upcoming travel.
Since the vaccine is not immediately effective, many people who receive the vaccine but shortly before or after being exposed to influenza or another virus will become ill from that. And that’s completely unrelated to their vaccination.
Do We Need A Gap Between Mmr Influenza Or Other Vaccines And Covid
Since we are now much more familiar with the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, other vaccines can be given at the same time or immediately before or after COVID-19 vaccination.
COVID-19 vaccine can been given at the same time or close to other vaccinations on the National Immunisation Schedule, including MMR , influenza , human papillomavirus vaccine , whooping cough and tetanus and meningococcal vaccines. If given at the same time, the vaccines at separate places on your arms and with different syringes.
When visiting your GP or pharmacist, ask if there are any other vaccines you can have – you may have missed them in the past. Pregnant women are also recommended to have influenza and whooping cough vaccines. Young adults may have missed MMR and HPV.
The only exception to this is the shingles vaccines, Zostavax, for which a seven day gap is recommended. This is to ensure the immune response to both vaccines is good. Zostavax can still be given at the same time as the influenza vaccine.
The Varicella vaccine, which is a lower concentration and used mainly with children so their immune systems are much better than those over 50, can also be given at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine.
Not that the mass COVID-19 vaccination clinics, including drive-through sites, are not likely to have other vaccines, so ask your usual health provider for advice.
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Before Taking This Medicine
To make sure Gardasil 9 vaccine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
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an allergy to yeast, polysorbate 80, or to other vaccines
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a weak immune system or
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treatment with cancer medicine, steroids, or other drugs that can weaken your immune system.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. If you get pregnant before you receive all needed doses of this vaccine, you may need to wait until after your baby is born to finish the series of shots.
If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry to track the effects of human papillomavirus vaccine on the baby.
It may not be safe to breastfeed while using human papillomavirus vaccine. Ask your doctor about any risk.
Tetanus Diphtheria And Pertussis Vaccine In Pregnancy
The Ontario publicly funded immunization program was recently expanded to include routine vaccination in every pregnancy for protection against pertussis. A dose of tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis containing vaccine can be received in each pregnancy for free as part of the publicly funded immunization program. Vaccination is safe and helps protect you and your baby.
Pertussis or whooping cough is a serious disease especially in young children. Pertussis can cause serious complications. Pneumonia can occur in more than two out of 10 children with pertussis. Pertussis can also cause brain damage, seizures and death. These complications happen most often in babies. Pertussis spreads very easily from an infected person to others through coughing or sneezing.
For more information talk to your primary care provider, contact your local Public Health Unit or visit ontario.ca/vaccines.
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How Safe Is The Vaccine
The first HPV vaccines were approved in 2006, following large clinical trials involving more than 20,000 people. Since then, research covering hundreds of thousands of vaccinations shows a similar safety profile to other childhood vaccines. The safety data for Gardasil 9 is consistent with the HPV4 safety studies.All applications seeking consent to distribute a medicine in New Zealand are evaluated by Medsafe. This evaluation is performed to internationally defined standards and requirements. Gardasil 9 was evaluated by Medsafe and approved in 2016. Gardasil 9 is also approved in the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. In New Zealand, as in other countries, there is ongoing monitoring of vaccine safety. The reactions reported from Gardasil 9 are similar to other immunisations. The most common reactions are injection site pain, redness, and swelling. Nausea and fainting have also been reported. The only known severe reaction is a serious allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, which usually occurs within minutes of the immunisation being given. Anaphylaxis is rare about three anaphylactic reactions per 1 million doses of vaccine administered. Every vaccinator is trained and equipped to deal with an anaphylactic reaction if one occurs. For this reason, patients are asked to wait 20 minutes after a vaccine is given, so that medical treatment can be provided.
Medsafe have further information about Gardasil 9 on their website:
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If they wouldnt have done this I think I wouldnt have come and got the flu shot right now, said someone who received the shot.
In all, more than 60 people got the flu shot during the 2-hour community clinic. Anyone looking to get a flu shot can visit Kaiser Permanentes website or the public health departments website in Santa Clara County.
Copyright 2022 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Why You Shouldn’t Mix Flu Shots With Other Vaccines
It’s that time of year again. No, not autumn, when all the leaves turn to beautiful shades of red and yellow. No, not postseason baseball showdowns. And no, not the new fall television line-up of cop shows and medical dramas.
I’m talking flu shots. Every October the new flu shots come out, people panic that this may be the worst flu season ever, and everyone scrambles to get injected. I won’t bore you with all the pros and cons of whether or not you should get a flu shot. I want to focus on making sure those of you who get one are doing so in the safest manner possible.
Make sure you get the flu shot without any other simultaneous vaccines. Why? Because flu shots have not been studied for safety when simultaneously given with any other vaccines. How do I know this? It’s written in every single flu shot product insert. Go to section 7.1 for most brands of the flu vaccine and you will find a version of the following statement: “There are no data to assess the concomitant administration of with other vaccines.” In plain English: Scientists haven’t studied what the side effects might be when the flu shot is given at the same time as any other vaccines. Some brands don’t have a section 7 and don’t make any mention of safety research with other vaccines.
You can check through the flu vaccine product inserts yourself here.
Robert W. Sears, MD, FAAP is a pediatrician and the author of “The Vaccine Book.”
Itching At The Injection Site Or A Full
This would signal an allergic reaction, but its very rare to have an allergic reaction to the flu shot, Dr. Adalja notes. There are lots of myths about egg allergies and the vaccine,” he explainsbecause most flu shots and nasal sprays are manufactured using technology that involves small amounts of egg proteins, per the CDC.
“If you can eat scrambled eggs, youre not going to have a problem with the flu shot, Dr. Adalja says. If you have a confirmed egg allergy, you can likely still get the shot, the CDC says.
The caveat: If you experience severe itching at injection site, a rash all over your body, or signs of anaphylactic shock, seek immediate medical attention. And if youve had an allergic reaction to the flu shot in the past, you are among those few groups of people who the CDC recommends skip the flu shot.
What to do: Dr. Hanak recommends taking an allergy medication like Benadryl or using any anti-itch creams or lotions like a topical Benadryl cream to help with the discomfort.
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Do Two Shots Hurt More Than One
Edward Belongia, MD, director of the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Population Health at Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, told Verywell that he doubts the statistical significance of the CDC review translates to an increased risk in real life.
A statistical difference is not the same as a meaningful difference, Belongia said. Their study was so large, they had hundreds of thousands of people, so even very, very tiny differences can be statistically significant, but theyre not meaningful.
Belongia said the data showed similar outcomes for both vaccine regimens. For example, nearly the same percentage of respondents who simultaneously received a flu shot and a Pfizer booster reported having any systemic reaction as those who received only the Pfizer booster.
This study just emphasizes that getting the vaccines together doesnt pose any meaningful increased risk of having either local or systemic side effects, Belongia said. People should not have any concern about getting them together, its fine to get them together.
He encourages people to get both shots at once, especially if they are struggling to schedule appointments.
There are important reasons not to delay the vaccine, he said. If you have an opportunity to get both at the same time, we would really strongly encourage people to do that.
Guest Editorial: Flu Covid Vaccines Will Help Protect The Children
Just ask a parent whose baby or young child is in the hospital struggling to breathe if they think a vaccine for RSV would be welcome.
Undoubtedly, the answer from most parents in that scenario would say yes. And fortunately, such a vaccine is on the near horizon.
The respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a cold-like illness for most people yet for the very young, elderly and people with certain health problems, it can be serious or life-threatening. The virus is aggressively spreading across much of the country right now and filling up pediatric hospital beds.
So its reassuring to know that scientists are coming up with ways to combat the illness. Pfizer announced last week that a large international study found vaccinating pregnant women was nearly 82% effective at preventing severe cases of RSV in their babies most vulnerable first 90 days of life. And in Europe, a new monoclonal antibody is being granted approval to protect against RSV infection in very young babies.
Without such tools immediately at our fingertips, its worth noting that other measures, however, can protect against current illnesses. And protecting yourself and your children against other viruses may protect them from suffering a double or triple whammy of illnesses. Those preventive measures include the flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
Do your part: Get your flu and COVID shots as we head into what could be a rough winter.
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What Changes To Hpv Immunisation Happened From 1 January 2017
From 1 January 2017, HPV immunisation is funded for everyone aged 926 including boys and young men.
Gardasil 9 will replace the existing Gardasil vaccine. The vaccine is given as two doses to those aged 14 years and under, and three doses to those aged 15 years and older.
The vaccine is offered to boys and girls through participating schools at Year 8, around age 12. HPV immunisation is also available free through general practices from 9 years of age.
Gardasil 9 is being used in schools from the beginning of 2017, and in general practices later in the year once stocks of the existing Gardasil vaccine have run out. Those who have begun immunisation with the existing Gardasil vaccine should complete the course with that vaccine while it is available .
What Is The Gardasil 9 Vaccine
Gardasil 9 is one of three HPV vaccines available worldwide. Its predecessor Gardasil has been used in New Zealand since 2008. Gardasil 9 has replaced HPV4 in the United States and will do so in New Zealand from 2017.
Immunisation with Gardasil 9 can prevent infection with:
- the seven HPV types that cause nine out of ten HPV-related cancers
- the two HPV types that cause nine out of ten cases of genital warts.
Gardasil 9 will not be offered in general practices until stocks of the existing HPV4 vaccine have run out. Many people being immunised in general practices in early 2017 will therefore be given HPV4 vaccine. HPV types 16 and 18, which are common to both vaccines, are responsible for around nine out of ten HPV-related cancers in men, which means that for men there is little practical difference between the protection offered by the two vaccines. Both vaccines also protect against nine out of ten cases of genital warts.
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Can You Get The Flu Vaccine And Covid
Getting both the flu vaccine and the Covid-19 bivalent mRNA booster this Fall can help protect you … against twindemic concerns.
In Pictures via Getty Images
There are some things that are tough to do at the same time like sneezing with your eyes open and knitting while trampolining. But you can get your flu vaccine and Covid-19 mRNA bivalent booster at the same time, if its easier for you to do so. Kids often receive multiple vaccinations during a single visit. So your immune system can handle being exposed to what different vaccines offer at once.
You can even get the flu vaccine and the Covid-19 vaccine on the same arm if youd like. Theres no medical reason for you to use separate arms. Of course, having both shots on the same arm may leave that arm a little extra sore. So there is an advantage to getting one shot on each arm. Alternatively, getting shots on two separate arms may be an issue if youd like to keep one of your arms free of soreness, assuming that you arent an octopus and have more than two arms. Therefore, its really up to you and your personal preferences as to which arms you want to offer for each shot.
One disadvantage of getting the flu vaccine and Covid-19 vaccine at the same time is that the side effects for each vaccine such as fatigue and headaches could add up together. Therefore, if you do have the option to do so, spacing out the shots a bit could be better and offer you some more time for recovery.
NurPhoto via Getty Images