Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Meningitis And Flu Shot Together

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People With Certain Medical Conditions Need A 2

Can you get the flu shot and COVID vaccine at the same time?

Vaccinate people with the following medical conditions with a 2-dose primary series of MenACWY vaccine administered 8 weeks apart:

  • Complement component deficiency
  • Functional or anatomic asplenia
  • HIV

Administer routine booster doses every 5 years throughout life to people with these medical conditions. Booster doses will help these patients maintain protection against meningococcal disease.

Most Health Insurance Plans Cover The Cost For Menb Vaccination

Most health plans must cover CDC-recommended vaccines with no out-of-pocket costs if an in-network healthcare provider administers the vaccine. Adolescents or their parents should check with their insurance provider for details on whether there is any cost to them for this vaccine.

The Vaccines for Children, or VFC, program provides vaccines for children 18 and younger who are

  • Not insured
  • Medicaid-eligible
  • American Indian or Alaska Native

Parents can find a VFC provider by contacting their local health department. VFC will cover the cost of MenB vaccination for those

  • 16 through 18 years of age
  • 10 through 18 years of age identified as being at increased risk due to a medical condition
  • 10 through 18 years of age identified as being at increased risk due to a serogroup B meningococcal disease outbreak

Rotavirus Vaccine Given At 2 And 4 Months

What is rotavirus?

Rotavirus is a common infection that causes vomiting and diarrhea in infants and children. Rotavirus is very contagious, spreading easily from children who are already infected to other infants, children and sometimes adults. Most children are infected with rotavirus at least once by five years of age. Serious but rare symptoms commonly seen in children less than two years of age include severe diarrhea, leading to hospitalization.

Rotavirus infection is a major cause of visits to health care providers and hospital stays for infants and children under five years of age in Ontario. Deaths in Ontario due to rotavirus are rare.

Some immunizations are required for children to attend school in Ontario. Please see the school immunization checklist for more information.

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Number And Timing Of Doses

Vaccinate all children younger than 2 years old with PCV13. The primary series consists of 3 doses routinely given at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. You can administer the first dose as early as 6 weeks of age. CDC recommends a fourth dose at 12 through 15 months of age. For children vaccinated when they are younger than 12 months of age, the minimum interval between doses is 4 weeks. Separate doses given at 12 months of age and older by at least 8 weeks.

The number and timing of doses for older children and adults depends on the medical indication, prior pneumococcal vaccination, and age. See Pneumococcal Vaccination: Summary of Who and When to Vaccinate for all pneumococcal vaccine recommendations by vaccine and age.

Summarizes how to implement adult pneumococcal vaccination recommendations.

Q: Should Any Vaccines Be Used Before Starting Dmts And If So Under What Circumstances

Vaccines and immunization

A: Fingolimod , a sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor modulator approved for relapsing MS, may increase the risk of dissemination and potentially life threatening varicella zoster . At theMellen Center we check for VZV antibodies before initiating fingolimod therapy. If immunity is not demonstrated by elevated VZV titers, we initiate chicken pox vaccination prior to initiating fingolimod. Optimally checking for the development of VZV antibodies prior to beginning medication would be prudent. Having elevated VZV titers does not guarantee against developing zoster infections . At the Mellen Center we recommend waiting 1 month after last VZV immunization to initiate fingolimod.

Alemtuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against CD52. CD52 is a cell surface antigen present on T and B cells. Alemtuzumab depletes circulating T and B cells for variable amounts of time over months T and B cell lines repopulate, with B cells usually repopulating over 6 months and T cells over 12 months. Because of this profound immunological effect, LIVE Attenuated Vaccines should not be used after initiation of alemtuzumab due to an increased risk of infection. Live attenuated vaccines include: Live Attenuated Flu Vaccine , MMR, chickenpox, and Zostavax . Vaccines which are not live include: tetanus toxoid boosters and injectable influenza vaccine.

One study showed retained immune competence related to prior vaccination after treatment with alemtuzumab .

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Moderna Falls As Early Flu Vaccine Data Show No Mrna Miracle

— Moderna Inc. investors are learning that just because a vaccine is made with messenger RNA, that doesnt mean it will produce miraculous results.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The Covid-19 vaccine makers shares dropped as much as 14% Friday after the first human trial results from its experimental seasonal flu shot fell short of Wall Streets expectations. The Moderna shot raised antibodies against influenza as much as a high-dose vaccine from Sanofi thats already on the market.

Seasonal flu shots could become a valuable new revenue stream for Moderna, which gets all of its sales from its Covid vaccine. Jefferies Financial Group analysts said before Fridays news that they generally expected positive results in seasonal flu with a large-scale trial in 2022 and potentially a quick path to regulatory approval.

The market reaction shows how expectations have grown for mRNA shots that turn the bodys cells into vaccine factories. While researchers anticipate the technology that speedily provided Covid vaccines will one day allow scientists to improve upon the efficacy of existing flu shots, it may be a long, complicated task.

Getting there may require new components that arent in existing flu shots. Modernas initial flu vaccine, called mRNA-1010, is essentially an mRNA version of existing four-strain flu shots, with no new components or flu strains that might help better match the vaccine to whats circulating in the real world.

Should People With Cancer Get Any Vaccines

Its generally recommended that vaccines not be given during chemo or radiation treatments the only exception to this is the flu shot. This is mainly because vaccines need an immune system response to work, and you may not get an adequate response during cancer treatment.

The immune system is a group of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to resist infection by germs, such as bacteria or viruses. Cancer and cancer treatment can weaken a persons immune system so that it wont work as well as it should. Its important to know which vaccines are safe for people with weak immune systems. Before receiving any vaccines, talk to your doctor about your cancer, cancer treatment, risk factors for the vaccine-preventable disease, whether you need the vaccine, and the best time for you to get it.

Vaccines, which are also called immunizations or vaccinations, are used to help a persons immune system recognize and fight certain infections or diseases.

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Early Vaccination Is Important To Prevent Diseases

Vaccines are the best defense against infections that may have serious complications such as pneumonia, meningitis, cancer, and even death. CDC recommends vaccinations before the age of two years to protect children against 14 infectious diseases: measles, mumps, rubella , varicella , hepatitis A, hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis , Haemophilus influenzae Type b , polio, influenza , rotavirus, and pneumococcal disease.

Children are given shots at a young age because this is when they are at highest risk of getting sick or dying if they get these diseases. Newborn babies are immune to some diseases because they have antibodies they get from their mothers, usually before they are born. However, this immunity lasts a few months. Most babies do not get protective antibodies against diphtheria, whooping cough, polio, tetanus, hepatitis B, or Hib from their mothers. This is why its important to vaccinate a child before she or he is exposed to a disease.

Vaccines contain weakened or killed versions of the germs that cause a disease. These elements of vaccines, and other molecules and micro-organisms that stimulate the immune system, are called antigens. Babies are exposed to thousands of germs and other antigens in the environment from the time they are born. When a baby is born, his or her immune system is ready to respond to the many antigens in the environment and the selected antigens in vaccines.

Diphtheria Tetanus Pertussis Polio Haemophilus Influenzae Type B Vaccine

Can my child get the COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the same time?

DTaP-IPV-Hib vaccine given at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months and 18 months

DTaP-IPV-Hib vaccine is a combined vaccine that protects children against five diseases diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and serious diseases like meningitis caused by haemophilus influenzae type b.

Immunization against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio is required by law for all children attending school in Ontario, unless exempted.

What is diphtheria?

Diphtheria is a serious disease of the nose, throat and skin. It causes sore throat, fever and chills. It can be complicated by breathing problems, heart failure and nerve damage. Diphtheria kills about one out of every 10 people who get the disease. It is most often passed to others through coughing and sneezing.

What is tetanus?

Tetanus or lockjaw is a serious disease that can happen if dirt with tetanus germ gets into a cut in the skin. Tetanus germs are found everywhere, usually in soil, dust and manure. It does not spread from person to person. Tetanus causes cramping of the muscles in the neck, arms, leg and stomach and painful convulsions which can be severe enough to break bones. Even with early treatment, tetanus kills two out of every 10 people who get it.

What is pertussis?

What is polio?

What is haemophilus influenzae type b disease?

Children under five years are more likely to get Hib disease. Children who attend childcare centres are even more likely to catch it. The Hib germ spreads to others through coughing and sneezing.

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Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Given At 2 Months 4 Months And 12 Months

The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine protects children against invasive pneumococcal infections such as pneumonia, bacteraemia and meningitis .

What is invasive pneumococcal disease ?

IPD is an infection caused by a type of bacteria called streptococcus pneumoniae . This type of bacteria can cause any of the following:

  • pneumonia
  • bacteraemia
  • meningitis

Pneumococcal infection is also a frequent cause of ear infections .

Pneumonia, bacteraemia and meningitis can sometimes cause death or long lasting complications such as deafness, especially in people with a high-risk medical condition.

Sometimes antibiotics do not work against the pneumococcal infection . Antibiotic resistance occurs when drugs, used to treat the infection, are no longer effective in killing or stopping the growth of particular microorganisms, such as pneumococcal bacteria. When there is antibiotic resistance, it is more difficult to treat the infection.

Don’t Share Personal Items

Meningitis can be contracted when you come in contact with respiratory or throat secretions saliva, sputum, nasal mucus of someone who is infected, either through kissing or sharing personal items. You can prevent the spread of meningitis by not sharing items where secretions can lurk, such as drinking glasses, water bottles, straws, silverware, toothbrushes, lipsticks or lip glosses, and cigarettes.

“Don’t drink from your friend’s soda can,” says Angela Vassallo, MPH, MS, director of infection prevention and hospital epidemiologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Los Angeles and president of the greater Los Angeles chapter of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control.

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Q: Do Any Of The Dmts We Use Have An Effect On The Safety Or Efficacy Of Vaccination

A: Corticosteroids, particularly long term daily use, might have an impact on the efficacy or response to vaccination. However, organ transplantation patients on long term steroids do not show an impairedimmune response to influenza or pneumococcal vaccinations . The response has not been evaluated in MS patients, but generally corticosteroids are not used in an ongoing fashion other than as intermittent pulse therapy in MS. When patients with MS are treated with a course of steroids, at the Mellen Center we recommend deferring immunization until 6 weeks after steroids are completed.

Interferons do not seem to interfere with immune responses in MS patients and may have an antiviral effect. In a prospective study of 88 MS patients treated with interferon beta-1a and 77 untreated patients with MS, similar proportions developed protective immune responses after receiving seasonal influenza vaccination . There is no evidence that glatiramer acetate affects the safety or efficacy of vaccination .

There is no evidence of an effect of natalizumab on the safety or efficacy of vaccination.

See below for specific discussions of fingolimod and alemtuzumab. Other than specific recommendations for certain DMTs, there is no overall increase in safety risk for MS patients from vaccinations.

How Effective Is The Nhs Flu Immunisation Programme

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The flu vaccine works better in some years than others . In children aged 2-17, the flu vaccine prevented 66% of flu cases in 2016-17, 27% of flu cases in 2017-18, 49% of flu cases in 2018-19 and 45% of flu cases in 2019-20 .

The aim is to protect children and also people around them, particularly those at risk of complications of flu. If children get flu they can remain infectious for longer than adults , and they are also more likely to pass on the infection. There is good evidence to show that vaccinating children against flu is a good way to reduce flu-related illness, GP visits, hospital admissions and deaths for the whole community.

Overall, since the programme began, the impact of the nasal flu vaccine has been greatest in pilot areas of the UK where children in all primary school years have been offered vaccination. This includes the whole of Scotland and Northern Ireland. In 2015 Public Health England published a study evaluating the impact of these flu vaccination pilot programmes in 2014-15 . The study showed that the programme in the pilot areas had a significant impact on flu in children and the community as a whole. For the 2021-22 season, the nasal flu vaccine is being offered to all primary and secondary school aged children in England, in response to the ongoing research on the community impact of this programme.

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Menb Vaccines Are Safe

Available data show that MenB vaccines are safe. Side effects like pain at the injection site, fever, and headache are common. These side effects usually resolve on their own within 3 to 5 days after vaccination. MenB vaccines are more reactogenic than other adolescent vaccines . They are likely to produce common or expected short-term side effects . There have been no unusual patterns of serious reactions associated with these vaccines.

Talk To Your Pharmacist Or Nurse Practitioner Prior To Your Vaccination

Before administering your vaccination, the immunizing pharmacist or nurse practitioner will want to know about any medical conditions you might have, any previous reactions to vaccines, and your medication history if you fill your prescriptions at another pharmacy. They will also be able to advise on any side effects that may result from your vaccination.

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Pneumococcal Diseases & Pneumonia Shots

There is a category of diseases called pneumococcal disease, of which pneumonia is one of the most dangerousthe other most dangerous being meningitis. People with diabetes are about three times more likely to die with flu and pneumococcal diseases, yet most dont get a simple, safe pneumonia shot.

Symptoms of pneumonia include:

Cough that can produce mucus that is gray, yellow, or streaked with blood Chest pain

Can The Flu Vaccine Cause The Flu

COVID-19 Q& A: Can you get the flu shot and the COVID vaccine at the same time?

No. Some people who get a flu shot develop mild flu-like symptoms as their body develops immunity, but flu shots cant actually cause the flu. The vaccines are either inactivated or recombinant, which means the viruses in the vaccines are not infectious or they are particles disguised as a flu virus to trick the immune system.

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What Is Meningococcal Disease

Meningococcal disease can refer to any illness caused by a type of bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis, also known as meningococcus . Meningococcal disease is not very common in the United States, but teens and young adults are at increased risk.

The two most common types of infections are

  • Infections of the lining of the brain and spinal cord
  • Infections of the bloodstream
  • Adolescent And Young Adult Studies On Concomitant Administration

    summarizes the 12 studies assessing concomitant administration of meningococcal vaccines in adolescents and young adults .,- The following sections focus on potential changes to immune responses to vaccines when administered together with meningococcal vaccines. Most of the adolescent studies that compared immune responses to the meningococcal vaccine under individual and concomitant administration did not find any decreases in meningococcal immune responses under concomitant administration.-,,- Similarly, safety was generally comparable across groups in each of the adolescent studies when assessed.,- Exceptions to both of these general observations are specified where applicable.

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    Giant Food Providing Flu Shots At All Pharmacies

    Regional grocer Giant Food is making seasonal flu vaccinations available at all 152 of its in-store pharmacies for both adults and children, with no appointment required.

    The vaccinations are administered by Giant’s certified in-store pharmacists and are often covered in full by most insurance plans. New this year, COVID-19 vaccines and other flu and non-flu vaccines including tetanus, shingles, pneumonia, meningitis, and hepatitis can be administered together as the 14-day waiting period between COVID-19 and other vaccines is no longer recommended by health experts.

    Giant Food is also currently offering a third dose of Moderna and Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations for immunocompromised individuals as defined by the CDC. The company initially signed up with the Department of Health and Human Services to offer free COVID-19 vaccinations in November 2020.

    The flu vaccines Giant Food is offering for the 2021 season will cover four strains of the flu virus, and Giant Food will offer high-dose flu vaccines for adults aged 65 and older. Pharmacists can recommend and administer the appropriate immunizations based on specific patient needs, and all customers receiving flu shots will be offered a complimentary short questionnaire designed to identify any missing vaccinations. Insurance companies, including Medicare, are billed directly, often at $0 copays.

    Giant is also bringing back its Airstream this season for mobile flu clinics at locations throughout its operating region.

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