All People Aged 6 Months
Registered for use in people aged 6 months.
Quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine
Each 0.5 mL monodose pre-filled syringe contains:
- 15 µg haemagglutinin of each of the 4 recommended influenza virus strains
- 0.05 µg ovalbumin
Registered for use in people aged 6 months.
Quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine
Each 0.5 mL monodose pre-filled syringe contains:
- 15 µg haemagglutinin of each of the 4 recommended influenza virus strains
- 100 µg formaldehyde
Registered for use in people aged 6 months.
Quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine
Each 0.5 mL monodose pre-filled syringe contains:
- 15 µg haemagglutinin of each of the 4 recommended influenza virus strains
Also contains traces of:
Registered for use in people aged 3 years.
Quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine
Each 0.5 mL monodose pre-filled syringe contains:
- 15 µg haemagglutinin of each of the 4 recommended influenza virus strains
- 100 ng ovalbumin
Registered for use in people aged 5 years.
Quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine
Each 0.5 mL monodose pre-filled syringe contains:
- 15 µg haemagglutinin of each of the 4 recommended influenza virus strains
- < 1 µg ovalbumin
Registered for use in people aged 9 years.
Quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine
Each 0.5 mL monodose pre-filled syringe contains:
- 15 µg haemagglutinin of each of the 4 recommended influenza virus strains
May contain traces of:
Registered for use in people aged 65 years.
Adjuvanted quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine
Everyone 6 Months And Older Should Get The Flu Shot
The flu shot is your best defence against the flu. The flu shot is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older.
It can save lives by:
- protecting you, if you’re exposed to the virus
- preventing you from getting very sick
- protecting people close to you:
- because you’re less likely to spread the virus
- who are at higher risk of serious flu complications if they get the flu
The flu shot wont protect you against COVID-19.
Why Does My Child Need A Flu Vaccine Every Year
Flu viruses are constantly changing, so new vaccines are made each year to protect against the flu viruses that are likely to cause the most illness. Also, protection provided by flu vaccination wears off over time. Your childs flu vaccine will protect against flu all season, but they will need a vaccine again next flu season for best protection against flu.
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Can You Get Covid
According to the CDC, “While it’s not possible to say with certainty what will happen in the fall and winter , CDC believes it’s likely that flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 will both be spreading. In this context, getting a flu vaccine will be more important than ever.” There is no evidence to suggest that it is not possible to have both diseases at the same time.
Can Influenza Vaccines Be Given To People With Egg Allergy Or Anaphylaxis
Yes. FLUAD QUAD, AFLURIA QUAD, INFLUVAC TETRA or AFLURIA QUAD JUNIOR can be safely administered to people with a history of egg allergy or egg anaphylaxis at general practices, pharmacies or at the workplace, although the data sheet advises caution in people who have a history of egg anaphylaxis. Studies have shown that influenza vaccines containing one microgram or less of ovalbumin do not trigger anaphylaxis in sensitive individuals.
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Pertussis And Tetanus Vaccinations
For adults, the pertussis booster is given in combination with tetanus and diphtheria in CanadaFootnote 5. Approximately, one in three respondents reported having received a pertussis-containing vaccine in adulthood. The uptake is higher among adults aged 18-44 years , and it declines as the age increases. . The questions on pertussis vaccination were very different from what was previously asked in the earlier Adult National Immunization Coverage Survey . For the first time, it was mentioned that pertussis vaccination was administered in a combination vaccine with tetanus. This change aimed to address the suspected under-reporting in the previous aNICS, and therefore results cannot be compared. Overall, pertussis vaccine uptake was significantly higher in females than in males . The gender difference in pertussis vaccine uptake decreases as the age increases. .
| N/A | |
| 26.2 | 0.361 |
|
Totals do not add up to 3726 because of missing gender or age information and participants who did not recall whether they had received the pertussis vaccine were excluded from the pertussis coverage estimates. *Significant difference between males and females . n = number of respondents . CI – Confidence interval. |
| N/A |
Who Should Get Immunised Against Influenza
Yearly influenza vaccination is recommended for people aged 6 months and over. Anyone who wants to protect themselves against influenza can talk to their immunisation provider about getting immunised.
The Australian Immunisation Handbook includes more information about specific groups who should get immunised against influenza.
The following people are more at risk of complications from influenza and are eligible for annual influenza vaccination free under the National Immunisation Program:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over
- Children aged 6 months to under 5 years
- People aged 6 months or over who have medical conditions that mean they have a higher risk of getting serious disease
- Pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy
- People aged 65 years or over.
All other individuals not included in the categories above can purchase the vaccine from their immunisation provider.
In some states and territories, influenza vaccines may also be provided for free to other people not listed above. Speak to your immunisation provider or contact your state or territory Department of Health to find out.
As the influenza vaccine only contains minute traces of egg protein, people with egg allergy, including a history of anaphylaxis, can be safely vaccinated with influenza vaccines. If you have an egg allergy please discuss this with your immunisation provider.
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Infection Prevention And Control
Vaccine providers should incorporate routine infection control practices into all immunization procedures as follows:
- Hand hygiene should be performed before vaccine preparation, between vaccine recipients, and whenever the hands are soiled. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are an alternative to hand washing with soap and water when hands are not visibly soiled. Hand hygiene should be performed after removing gloves.
- Glove use during immunization is not routinely recommended unless the skin on the vaccine provider’s hands is not intact or when administering Bacille Calmette-Guérin or smallpox vaccine. If gloves are worn, they should be changed between vaccine recipients.
- Prior to withdrawal of vaccine into the syringe, the vaccine vial should be uncapped, the stopper wiped with a suitable disinfectant and the stopper allowed to dry.
- Before injection, the skin should be cleansed with a suitable antiseptic such as an alcohol swab and allowed to dry.
- A separate sterile needle and syringe should be used for each injection.
- Policies and procedures should be developed and implemented regarding accidental exposure to blood or body fluids, including needle stick injuries, and vaccine providers should be educated about these policies and procedures. Refer to Immunization of Workers in Part 3 for more information about vaccines recommended for health care workers.
In addition to the recommendations above, the following practices should be observed:
Flu Vaccine Effectiveness For 20212022 Season
Each year, the flu vaccine is designed to protect against the strains of the flu that scientists believe will be most common. However, the effectiveness of the flu vaccine depends on which flu strains are most prevalent and how they compare to the strains that the vaccine protects against.
Because of this, flu vaccine effectiveness varies from year to year. Scientists dont yet have estimates for the effectiveness of the flu vaccine for the 20212022 season. In addition, in the 20202021 flu season the CDC didnt estimate the effectiveness of the vaccine because transmission of the flu was historically low, likely due to COVID-19 precautions that also protect against the flu.
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Planning Clinics And Campaigns
The National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit created resources to assist in the planning and operation of vaccination clinics, including annual flu clinics, school-based clinics, and vaccination clinics. This document summarizes key points in running a successful clinic, and provides links to many other useful resources. Learn more: Tools to Assist Satellite, Temporary, and Off-Site Vaccination Clinics
CDC also has a clinic resource page entitled CDC Guidelines for Large-Scale Influenza Vaccination Clinic Planning, which outlines the logistics and considerations needed to plan a high-volume vaccination clinic.
Public providers interested in holding vaccination clinics may benefit from enrolling in the Vaccine Reimbursement Program for Public Providers. Commonwealth Medicine, the health care consulting division of UMass Medical School, manages this program that reimburses public providers for vaccines and their administration by billing health plans.
Adverse Events After Cell
Cell-based influenza vaccines have a similar safety profile to standard influenza vaccines. In one study among children and adolescents aged 417 years, injection site reactions were reported in 53% of people receiving cell-based vaccine compared with 43% receiving standard influenza vaccine. Systemic reactions were reported by 37% and 30%, respectively.83 Both injection site and systemic reactions were typically mild to moderate < 1% were reported as severe.
In another study in adults aged 1860 years, injection site reactions were reported in 29% of people receiving cell-based vaccine compared with 25% receiving standard influenza vaccine. Systemic reactions were reported by 25% and 23%, respectively.84 Injection site reactions were typically mild to moderate < 1% were reported as severe. No severe systemic reactions were reported.
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Children Less Than 9 Years Old
Children less than 9 years old getting the flu vaccine for the first time must receive 2 doses of vaccine. The second dose must be given a month after the first. Parents must therefore plan 2 appointments to get their child a flu vaccination.
Indeed, as most vaccines given in childhood, the first injection of the flu vaccine must be followed by a booster dose. The first dose of the vaccine allows the childs immune system to, in a way, get acquainted with the virus and to fight it, but for only a few weeks. The second dose allows the childs immune system to produce more antibodies to fight the virus on a longer term.
It is therefore important that children less than 9 years old getting the flu vaccine for the first time receive the 2 doses of vaccine. The second dose will allow them to be best protected during the entire flu season.
Only children less than 9 years old who have already received the flu vaccine need to receive a single dose of it.
Children from 6 to 23 months old and those who have certain chronic diseases can get vaccinated free of charge under the Flu Vaccination Program.
Antigenic Shift And Pandemic Influenza
Antigenic shift is a dramatic change in the H antigen of influenza A. This occurs unpredictably and infrequently.98Antigenic shift gives rise to pandemic influenza subtypes by 1 of 2 ways:
- an avian or other animal virus directly adapts so that it can infect humans
- an avian or other animal virus mixes with a human virus, called genetic reassortment
There have been 4 influenza pandemics in the 20th and 21st centuries:
- 1918
- 1968
- 2009
Each of these pandemic strains replaced the previously circulating influenza A subtype and went on to circulate as seasonal influenza.
More recently, various avian influenza A virus subtypes have caused human infections. Examples are H5N1, H7N9 and H9N2. Sustained human-to-human transmission of these subtypes has not been reported.101,102
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Doses For Children 9 Years And Adults
People aged 9 years need 1 dose of influenza vaccine every year, regardless of whether they have ever had influenza vaccine before.
For adults aged 65 years who have already received an adjuvanted influenza vaccine in the current influenza season, an extra dose of standard influenza vaccine in the same season is not recommended.
Similarly, if they have received a standard influenza vaccine, an extra dose of adjuvanted influenza vaccine in the same season is not recommended.
Follow standard recommendations when giving any extra dose during the current or future seasons .
Is Flu Illness Serious
Millions of children get sick with flu each year and thousands are hospitalized. CDC estimates that since 2010, between 7,000 and 28,000 children younger than 5 years old have been hospitalized for flu each year in the United States. Children with chronic conditions like asthma, diabetes, and disorders of the brain or nervous system, and children younger than 5 years old are more likely to end up in the hospital from flu.
Some people at high risk can develop complications that can result in hospitalization and even death.
Flu seasons vary in how serious they are from one season to another. Since 2010, CDC estimates that between 130 and 1,200 children have died from flu each year.
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Southern Hemisphere Influenza Season
The composition of virus vaccines for use in the 2018 Southern Hemisphere influenza season recommended by the World Health Organization on September 28, 2017, was:
- an A/Michigan/45/2015 pdm09-like virus
- an A/Singapore/INFIMH-16-0019/2016 -like virus
- a B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus
The WHO recommended that quadrivalent vaccines containing two influenza B viruses should contain the above three viruses and a B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus.
Who Should Have The Vaccine
In 2021/22 flu season, the following people are eligible to receive the flu vaccine for free:
- All children aged 2 to 15 on 31st Aug 2021
- Those aged 50 years or over
- Those in long-term residential care homes
- Carers
- Frontline health and social care workers
- Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- Those aged 6 months to 65 years in at-risk groups including people with the following health conditions:
- Respiratory diseases, including asthma
- Heart disease, kidney disease or liver disease
- Neurological conditions including learning disability
- Diabetes
- A severely weakened immune system , a missing spleen, sickle cell anaemia or coeliac disease
- Being seriously overweight
Babies under 6 months old are too young to receive a flu vaccine. This is because they have maternal antibodies passed on from their mother which prevent the vaccine from working so well. Flu vaccination is offered to all pregnant women in the UK . As well as protecting pregnant women themselves, this also helps to protect their newborn babies from flu.
Your doctor may recommend the flu vaccine in other circumstances as well.
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People With Illnesses Or Health Conditions
Children over six months old and adults should get the vaccine if they have:
- a chronic chest condition such as asthma
- a chronic heart condition
- diabetes
- lowered immunity due to disease or treatment such as steroids or cancer therapy
- a chronic neurological condition such as stroke, multiple sclerosis or a condition that affects the nervous system such as cerebral palsy
- a very high body weight
- any other serious medical condition, ask your doctor if you’re unsure
People At High Risk Of Complications From The Flu
- people with health conditions, such as:
- cancer and other immune compromising conditions
- diabetes
- kidney disease
- neurological or neurodevelopmental conditions
- children up to 18 years of age undergoing treatment for long periods with acetylsalicylic acid
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Safe Use Of Needles And Syringes
Needles and syringes used for vaccine injections must be sterile and disposable. A separate needle and syringe should be used for each injection. Changing needles between drawing vaccine from a vial and injecting it into a recipient is not necessary unless the needle has been damaged or contaminated .
To prevent inadvertent needlestick injury or reuse, safety mechanisms should be deployed after use and needles and syringes should be discarded immediately in labeled, puncture-proof containers located in the same room where the vaccine is administered . Used needles should never be recapped.
Can Be Given With Other Vaccines
COVID-19 vaccines may be administered without regard to timing of other vaccines. This means COVID-19 vaccines can be co-administered with the influenza vaccine during the same visit. Giving all vaccines for which a person is eligible at the same visit is a best practice as it increases the probability people will be up to date on recommended vaccines.
But there are a few rare exceptions to the allowance of simultaneous vaccination. These instances generally involve children who have conditions such as asplenia, complement component deficiency or HIV infection. This is limited to PCV13 and Menactra vaccines, according to the CDC COCA webinar.
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What Are The Brand Names Of The Flu Shots
The best flu shot for you will vary based on your age and if you have certain medical conditions or allergies. Ask your healthcare provider which vaccine is best for you or your child. Names of common flu vaccine injections in th U.S. include:
- Afluria Quadrivalent
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People With Medical Conditions That Increase Their Risk Of Influenza
People aged 6 months with medical conditions specified in this List. Medical conditions associated with an increased risk of influenza disease and severe outcomes are strongly recommended to receive annual influenza vaccine.
People with these specific medical conditions have a higher risk of influenza or severe outcomes from influenza .9-29
People who have received a transplant
People who have had a haematopoietic stem cell transplant or solid organ transplant and are receiving influenza vaccine for the first time after transplant are recommended to receive:
- 2 doses at least 4 weeks apart the 1st time they receive influenza vaccine after the transplant
- 1 dose each year after that
Vaccine doses for people with the risk conditions in this list are funded under the NIP unless otherwise noted.
| Conditions |
|---|
|
Functional or anatomical asplenia, including:
|
|
Cardiac disease, including: |
|
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Chronic neurological conditions, including: |
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| Long-term aspirin therapy in children aged 6 months to 10 years |
| Chronic liver diseasea |
| Obesity a |
| Children born less than 37 weeks gestationa |
| Harmful use of alcohola |
Pregnant women are strongly recommended to receive influenza vaccine in each pregnancy.
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