Keeping You Safe When You Visit Us
We’re working hard to make sure our pharmacists can provide services, care and advice to you safely. Here are some of the things we’re doing to keep you safe.
We politely ask you to wear a face covering if youre using one of our pharmacy services
Our colleagues will be wearing PPE
Well be limiting the time you spend with our pharmacists in our consultation room
We’ll clean the consultation room before and after every appointment
Side Effects Of The Pneumococcal Vaccine
Like most vaccines, the childhood and adult versions of the pneumococcal vaccine can sometimes cause mild side effects.
These include:
- redness where the injection was given
- hardness or swelling where the injection was given
There are no serious side effects listed for either the childhood or adult versions of the vaccine, apart from an extremely rare risk of a severe allergic reaction .
Other Methods Of Manufacture
Methods of vaccine generation that bypass the need for eggs include the construction of influenza virus-like particles . VLP resemble viruses, but there is no need for inactivation, as they do not include viral coding elements, but merely present antigens in a similar manner to a virion. Some methods of producing VLP include cultures of Spodoptera frugiperdaSf9 insect cells and plant-based vaccine production . There is evidence that some VLPs elicit antibodies that recognize a broader panel of antigenically distinct viral isolates compared to other vaccines in the hemagglutination-inhibition assay .
A gene-based DNA vaccine, used to prime the immune system after boosting with an inactivated H5N1 vaccine, underwent clinical trials in 2011.
On November 20, 2012, Novartis received FDA approval for the first cell-culture vaccine. In 2013, the recombinant influenza vaccine, Flublok, was approved for use in the United States.
On September 17, 2020, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a marketing authorization for Supemtek, a quadrivalent influenza vaccine . The applicant for this medicinal product is Sanofi Pasteur. Supemtek was approved for medical use in the European Union in November 2020.
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What Are The Common Vaccine Side Effects And Risks
- Flu vaccines are safe, but some side effects can occur.
- Minor problems following the flu vaccine include soreness, redness, and / or swelling from the shot, hoarseness, sore, red or itchy eyes, cough, fever, aches, headache, itching, and fatigue.
- More serious problems may include Guillain-Barre’ syndrome in fewer than 1 or 2 cases per one million people vaccinated, children receiving multiple vaccines slightly increase in fever with seizure.
- People who should not get the flu vaccine include anyone with severe, life threatening allergies, had GBS before, or not feeling well the day of vaccination.
Where Can I Learn More
More information on the inactivated influenza vaccine, including possible reactions and who should not get the vaccine, can be found in the HealthLinkBC File: Inactivated Influenza Vaccine.
For answers to frequently asked questions about influenza vaccines, visit our FAQ about influenza vaccines page.
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Changes Made To The Program
Québec immunization experts analyzed data from recent studies conducted in Québec, among others, on the number of flu-related hospitalizations and deaths. Current data on vaccine efficacy and the possible impact of repeated vaccination were also considered. Based on their analyses, the experts concluded that the following 2 groups do not have a higher risk of flu-related hospitalization and death than the rest of Québecs healthy population:
- healthy children aged 6 to 23 months
- healthy people aged 60 to 74.
Until now, these people were considered to be at higher risk, whereas their risk is comparable to the rest of Québecs healthy population. Only people in these 2 groups who have certain chronic diseases are at higher risk of serious complications.
The recommendation to vaccinate healthy children aged 6 to 23 months was based on hospitalization data from a particularly severe season. Excluding chronically ill children from the number of hospitalizations, the data show that very few children in this age group were hospitalized for the flu and that death occurred only in exceptional cases. Moreover, only 1 in 5 children was given the flu vaccine, which suggests that flu vaccination is not widely accepted by parents or health professionals, not to mention the fact that several countries do not recommend vaccination in this age group.
Flu Vaccine May Also Protect Against Pneumonia
Study suggests about 57 percent of hospitalizations for flu-related pneumonia might be prevented
HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Oct. 5, 2015 — Getting a flu shot may protect you not only from flu, but also from pneumonia, the leading cause of flu-related hospitalizations and deaths, a new study suggests.
Most children and adults hospitalized for flu-related pneumonia haven’t had a flu shot, the researchers said.
“Influenza vaccine can substantially reduce the risk of hospitalizations for influenza pneumonia, a serious complication of influenza infections,” said lead researcher Dr. Carlos Grijalva, an associate professor of health policy at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville.
“We estimate that approximately 57 percent of hospitalizations due to influenza pneumonia could be prevented by influenza vaccination,” he said.
The report was published online Oct. 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
For the study, Grijalva and his colleagues collected data on nearly 2,800 patients hospitalized for pneumonia in four U.S. hospitals from January 2010 through June 2012.
Approximately 6 percent of these patients had flu-related pneumonia, while other patients were hospitalized for pneumonia that was not caused by influenza, Grijalva explained.
“We compared the history of influenza vaccination between these patients. We found that influenza vaccination was associated with a reduced risk of influenza pneumonia that required hospitalization,” he said.
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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.
Children Less Than 6 Months Old
It is not recommended to vaccinate children aged less than 6 months. Indeed, the effectiveness of the vaccine has yet to be proven for children that age. The vaccine is therefore not offered to them.
However, children under 6 months of age can also catch the flu. Furthermore, they are among those who are more at risk of being hospitalized after the flu. Therefore, vaccination is recommended for members of the same household and informal caregivers of children under 6 months of age to avoid passing on the flu to them.
If you are a member of the same household or the informal caregivers of a child under 6 months of age, you can get vaccinated free of charge under the Flu Vaccination Program.
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Safety Measures For Getting The Flu Jab And/or Pneumococcal Vaccination
Your GP and doctors assistants will ensure that everyone can maintain physical distance during the flu vaccination clinic. They will also ask whether people have symptoms that could indicate COVID-19. If someone has possible COVID-19 symptoms, they can get the flu jab and/or pneumococcal vaccination at a later time. It is possible that you will have to get the flu jab and/or pneumococcal vaccination at a different location, for example in a sports hall. Only the care provider who gives you the injection will approach within 1.5 metres. For that reason, the person vaccinating you will wear a surgical mask that covers the mouth and nose.
You can get the flu jab safely by following the coronavirus measures.
If you had the flu jab and/or pneumococcal vaccination first, then you should wait at least 1 week before getting the COVID-19 vaccination. If you got the COVID-19 vaccination first, then you should wait at least 2 weeks before getting the flu jab and/or pneumococcal vaccination. This waiting period is in case you experience any side-effects.
The Flu Pneumonia And Inflammation Create A Deadly Threat
Pneumococcal pneumonia can follow other viral infections, particularly influenza, says William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. The biology behind it:The flu virus attaches to, and infects, the cells lining the mucous membranes in the back of the throat, nose and bronchial tubes. Normally, the cells eject infectious agents out of the body via the nose or mouth, or they’re simply swallowed. But when impaired by the flu, the cells lining these membranes allow the bacteria to slip down into the bronchial tubes and trigger a secondary infection, in the lungs. The infection inflames the air sacs in the lungs, causing them to fill with pus and fluid. That not only makes it hard to breathe but can allow bacteria to escape into the bloodstream, causing an infection called sepsis, an aggressive inflammatory response that can, ultimately, lead to organ failure.
Pneumococcal pneumonia, of course, is also likely be a complication of respiratory syncytial virus , a common and highly contagious winter lung infection, whichuncharacteristicallyspread this summer, and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. However, the pneumococcal vaccine wont shield you from pneumonia that results from either of them. As Schaffner puts it, Pneumonia from Covid is a different sort of pneumonia.
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What Side Effects Should I Look Out For
Side effects vary from vaccine to vaccine, according to Privor-Dumm.
According to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services website Vaccine.org, common issues include:
- Soreness at the injection site
- A low-grade fever
- Muscle aches
- Fatigue
In very rare cases, you may be allergic to the ingredients in a vaccine or have another severe reaction. If you feel sick in any way after receiving a shot, call your doctor, Privor-Dumm says.
Effectiveness Of The Pneumococcal Vaccine
Children respond very well to the pneumococcal vaccine.
The introduction of this vaccine into the NHS childhood vaccination schedule has resulted in a large reduction in pneumococcal disease.
The pneumococcal vaccine given to older children and adults is thought to be around 50 to 70% effective at preventing pneumococcal disease.
Both types of pneumococcal vaccine are inactivated or “killed” vaccines and do not contain any live organisms. They cannot cause the infections they protect against.
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Is It Flu Or Pneumonia
The symptoms of pneumonia are similar to the flu. But with pneumonia, your cough is usually worse and you may have trouble breathing. For example, you may get winded going up just a few stairs, when you normally walk up two flights without a problem, says Dr. Thorner.
However, the symptoms can be subtler in the very young and the elderlythe two groups most vulnerable to pneumonia. Babies and young children with the infection may be restless, fussy, and breathe too fast. Older people with pneumonia sometimes dont have a fever or a cough, but they may be confused or complain of pain when taking a deep breath.
Flu Vaccine And Cancer Treatment
Cancer or its treatment can lower your resistance to infection and make you more likely to catch flu. The flu vaccination makes it less likely that you will catch flu.
Flu is an infection caused by a virus. It is very infectious. You mainly catch it from coughs and sneezes of people who have the virus. The symptoms of flu often come on quickly and include:
- a high temperature
- headaches
- extreme tiredness
Anyone who has flu feels quite unwell. But most healthy people recover within a few days as their immune system gets rid of the virus. Occasionally people develop complications, such as severe chest infections. These are serious illnesses which can need hospital treatment. A small number of people die due to complications.
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Flu And Pneumonia Shots
Having the flu can be dangerous for anyone. But it is extra risky for people with diabetes or other chronic health problems. Having diabetes means having more instances of high blood sugar than a person without diabetes. High blood sugar hinders your white blood cells ability to fight infections.
Beyond people living with diabetes, flu is also extra risky for people with heart disease, smokers and those with chronic lung disease, people who have an impaired immune system , very young children, and people living in very close quarters, such as college dorms, military barracks, or nursing homes.
Flu Pneumonia Vaccinations Tied To Lower Risk Of Alzheimer’s Dementia
CHICAGO, JULY 27, 2020 Flu and pneumonia vaccinations are associated with reduced risk of Alzheimerâs disease, according to new research reported at the Alzheimerâs Association International Conference® 2020.
Three research studies reported at AAIC 2020 suggest:
- At least one flu vaccination was associated with a 17% reduction in Alzheimerâs incidence. More frequent flu vaccination was associated with another 13% reduction in Alzheimerâs incidence.
- Vaccination against pneumonia between ages 65 and 75 reduced Alzheimerâs risk by up to 40% depending on individual genes.
- Individuals with dementia have a higher risk of dying after infections than those without dementia .
âWith the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines are at the forefront of public health discussions. It is important to explore their benefit in not only protecting against viral or bacterial infection but also improving long-term health outcomes,â said Maria C. Carrillo, Ph.D., Alzheimerâs Association chief science officer.
âIt may turn out to be as simple as if youâre taking care of your health in this way â getting vaccinated â youâre also taking care of yourself in other ways, and these things add up to lower risk of Alzheimerâs and other dementias,â Carrillo said. âThis research, while early, calls for further studies in large, diverse clinical trials to inform whether vaccinations as a public health strategy decrease our risk for developing dementia as we age.â
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Children Aged 9 And Up
From the age of 9, children that get the flu vaccine receive a single dose of it, even if they have never received a flu vaccine before.
The immune system of a 9 year old child is indeed sufficiently developed to produce enough antibodies to protect them with a single dose of the vaccine.
Children who have certain chronic diseases can get vaccinated free of charge under the Flu Vaccination Program.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Flu Jab Pneumococcal Vaccination And Covid
The vaccination campaign for seasonal flu is starting. About 6 million people living in the Netherlands will receive an invitation to get the flu jab in the next few months. This involves people who are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill from the flu. Flu is an infectious respiratory disease caused by the flu virus (also known as influenza.
People aged 69 to 73 years will be offered pneumococcal vaccination this autumn. This group includes all people born from 1 January 1948 through 31 December 1952. Pneumococci are bacteria that can cause you to become seriously ill. The pneumococcal vaccination is often given at the same time as the flu jab.
Since 2020, we have also been dealing with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19. Most people in the Netherlands have been vaccinated against the coronavirus. The symptoms caused by coronavirus disease are similar to the symptoms of flu. COVID-19, flu and pneumococcal disease can all lead to pneumonia. The following overview covers frequently asked questions about COVID-19, the flu and the flu jab, and pneumococcal disease and the pneumococcal vaccination.
No. It is fine to receive these vaccinations within a short time period. Our immune system can respond to several different pathogens or vaccines at the same time. Infants also receive several vaccinations against different diseases within a short time, to protect them properly.
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Swine Flu Pandemic Vaccine
The 2009 swine flu pandemic vaccines were influenza vaccines developed to protect against the pandemic H1N1/09 virus. These vaccines either contained inactivated influenza virus, or weakened live virus that could not cause influenza. The killed virus was injected, while the live virus was given as a nasal spray. Both these types of vaccine were produced by growing the virus in chicken eggs. Around three billion doses were produced, with delivery in November 2009.
In studies, the vaccine appeared both effective and safe, providing a strong protective immune response and having a similar safety profile to the usual seasonal influenza vaccine. However, about 30% of people already had some immunity to the virus, with the vaccine conferring greatest benefit on young people, since many older people are already immune through exposure to similar viruses in the past. The vaccine also provided some cross-protection against the 1918 flu pandemic strain.
Early results from an observational cohort of 248,000 individuals in Scotland showed the vaccine to be effective at preventing H1N1 influenza and influenza-related hospital admissions .
Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine
Children 2-17 years of age who are eligible for an influenza vaccine can receive FluMist® Quadrivalent by nasal spray.
The nasal spray vaccine will be available at health units, some pharmacies and some doctors’ offices. Pharmacists will be able to give the nasal spray flu vaccine to children 2 years of age and older. The Influenza Clinic locator will list if a nasal spray vaccine is available at that clinic. Call ahead to confirm. The nasal spray vaccine is not approved for use in those younger than 2 years of age and they should receive their influenza vaccine by needle.
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