Sometimes I Get The Flu Despite Having Had The Flu Shot Why Should I Bother
Flu vaccination prevents illness in up to 6 in 10 healthy adults under the age of 65. Because the vaccine is not effective in absolutely every case, some people may still catch the virus after having the flu shot. But the risk of illness is still reduced.
Although most people who get the flu recover without lasting effects, the flu can be very serious in some people and may require hospitalisation. In some cases, it can even be fatal. Its not possible to predict who will be severely affected.
Vaccination against the flu both reduces your chances of getting it and the severity of the symptoms if you do. So its still important to have the shot.
Considerations For Getting A Covid
Its safe for your health care provider to administer a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as other vaccines. If youre 12 years of age or older, you may get the flu shot at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine. You may also get it any time before or after you receive the flu shot.
For children aged 5 to 11, the National Advisory Council on Immunization recommends a 14-day interval between a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines. This is to help better monitor for possible side effects from COVID-19 vaccines. Provinces and territories will decide on an interval for this age group as part of their vaccination programs.
Talk to a health care provider or consult your provincial or territorial public health authority for the latest guidance.
Learn more about:
What Is The Flu Vaccine
The influenza vaccine is used to prevent infection caused by the influenza virus. The flu can cause serious illness, especially in young children, older adults and people with chronic health problems, but anyone can become seriously ill from the flu virus. Even if you are not feeling sick, you could still be infected with the flu virus and pass it on to others. Read more about the flu.Vaccination is the best way to prevent infection and reduce the seriousness of illness if you become infected. It will greatly improve your chances of not getting the flu, but it does not give 100% protection.
Being vaccinated causes your body to produce antibodies against the flu virus. This means your body can respond faster and more effectively to the flu. By first coming across a non-infectious version of the virus in the vaccine, it learns to recognise it. When it comes across it again, your body can react much faster and in a more effective way.
Even if you get the flu after being vaccinated, you usually get a mild form of it and recover faster, and are less likely to have serious complications.
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Rare Side Effects Of The Flu Vaccine
There is a very small risk of a serious allergic reaction to any vaccine. This is why you are advised to stay at the clinic or medical surgery for at least 15 minutes following vaccination in case further treatment is required.
Apart from anaphylaxis, other extremely rare side effects include in children.
A small increase in Guillain-Barré syndrome was seen in the US in 1976, but since that time, surveillance has shown that it is limited to one case for every million doses of influenza vaccine, if at all.
If any other reactions are severe and persistent, or if you are worried, contact your doctor for further information.
Possible Side Effects Of The Flu Vaccine
The influenza vaccine can cause side effects. In children under 5 years, these reactions may be more obvious.
Common side effects of influenza vaccine include:
- drowsiness or tiredness
- localised pain, redness and swelling at the injection site
- occasionally, an injection-site lump that may last many weeks but needs no treatment
- low-grade temperature .
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Benefits Of An Annual Flu Shot
Every year in the United States and around the world, millions of people are infected by the flu virus. In the US alone, the CDC estimates as many as 11% of people are infected with the flu each year thats more than 30 million people. In some people, influenza causes uncomfortable symptoms like fever, chills, headaches, and muscle aches and pains. But in others, the effects are much more serious and sometimes even life-threatening.
The best way to reduce your risks of getting the flu is to have an annual flu vaccine. At Healthy Life Family Medicine in Goodyear, Arizona, top-ranked primary care doctor John Monroe, MD, offers the most up-to-date flu vaccines for patients of all ages according to the most recent CDC recommendations. Heres why you should schedule your flu shot today.
What Should I Do If I Have Had A Serious Reaction To Seasonal Flu Vaccine
Tell your doctor what happened, the date and time it happened, and when you got the flu shot.
Ask your doctor, nurse, or health department to file a Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting Systemexternal icon form, or call VAERS at 1-800-822-7967. Reports are welcome from all concerned individuals: patients, parents, health care providers, pharmacists and vaccine manufacturers.
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Who Should Have The Flu Shot
The Australian Government recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months has a flu vaccination every year.
Its difficult to predict who will catch influenza , or who will become seriously ill from it. The flu can require hospitalisation and can even be fatal.
Getting vaccinated against the flu helps protect both you and the people around you. Its particularly important to protect vulnerable people in the community who cant be vaccinated, such as babies who are younger than 6 months and adults with low immunity.
Who Should Be Immunised Against Flu
Immunisation for the flu is recommended for everyone aged 6 months and over.
Some people are more at risk of complications from influenza and are eligible for free vaccination.
People with an underlying medical condition or reduced immunity are most at risk and should be immunised against influenza. They include:
- anyone aged 65 years and older
- pregnant women
- all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged from 6 months and over
- people 6 months or older with:
Some workplaces run annual immunisation programs for staff.
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Who Should And Who Should Not Get A Flu Vaccine
Everyone 6 months of age and older should get an influenza vaccine every season with rare exception. CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has made this recommendation since the 2010-2011 flu season.
Vaccination to prevent flu and its potentially serious complications is particularly important for people who are at higher risk of developing serious flu complications. See People at Higher Risk of Developing Flu-Related Complications for a full list of age and health factors that confer increased risk.
More information is available at Who Needs a Flu Vaccine.
Different influenza vaccines are approved for use in people in different age groups. In addition, some vaccines are not recommended for certain groups of people. Factors that can determine a persons suitability for vaccination, or vaccination with a particular vaccine, include a persons age, health and any allergies to flu vaccine or its components. For more information, visit Who Should and Who Should NOT get a Flu Vaccine.
When To Get The Influenza Vaccine
New season influenza vaccines under the NIP are expected to be available from April. Timing may be different for your local area. Check with your immunisation provider to find out when they will have the vaccine available and when you will be able to book in to have the vaccine.
Annual influenza vaccine should occur anytime from April onwards to be protected for the peak flu season, which is generally June to September. The highest level of protection occurs in the first 3 to 4 months following vaccination.
However, it is never too late to vaccinate since influenza can circulate in the community all year round.
Pregnant women should receive the vaccine at any stage during pregnancy.
Influenza vaccines can be given on the same day with a COVID-19 vaccine.
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Can I Still Get Sick After Getting The Flu Shot
It’s possible. Every year, scientists develop a new flu shot. This is because the flu virus is constantly mutating that means it changes all the time.
That makes it impossible to know which strains are going to spread the most during any given flu season.
Scientists make a vaccine using strains that they think are most likely to get people sick. But sometimes a strain they didnt consider spreads more and people still get sick.
What Is The Best Way To Locate A Flu Vaccine Clinic
People can obtain flu shots through a health care professional’s office, at community health departments, and at many pharmacies. Additionally, many employers and schools host flu shot clinics. Some employers may offer the vaccine free of charge. A health care professional’s office should be able to provide information about flu shot clinics available in the community.
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How Is The Flu Shot Different From The Covid
Tran: They’re similar in that they both have the same goal of preventing severe illness and death, and they both teach your immune system to recognize and attack a virus. But the two vaccines are very different.
The COVID-19 vaccine targets one version of the coronavirus that causes that disease, whereas the flu vaccine always targets multiple influenza viruses. They are also different types of vaccines produced in different ways. The flu shots are either egg-based vaccines or cell-based vaccines, or they’re made using recombinant technology. The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines use messenger RNA to teach your cells how to make the protein that your immune system will target. And the Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses a harmless virus that teaches your body’s cells to make that target protein.
How The Flu Spreads
The flu is an infection of the nose, throat and lungs. It’s caused mainly by 2 types of viruses:
The flu spreads very easily from person to person. Even before you notice symptoms, you may spread the virus to others. If you have the virus, you can spread it by:
- talking
These actions release tiny droplets that contain the flu virus into the air.
You can become infected if these droplets land on your:
- eyes
- nose
- mouth
Infection can also happen if you touch any of these body parts after touching surfaces contaminated by infected droplets. Frequently touched surfaces and objects include:
- toys
- electronics and tablets
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Annual Vaccination Is Recommended
Annual vaccination before the onset of each flu season is recommended. In most parts of Australia, this occurs from June to September.
Immunisation from April provides protection before the peak season. While the flu continues to circulate, it is never too late to vaccinate.
The flu vaccine cannot give you influenza because it does not contain live virus. Some people may still contract the flu because the vaccine may not always protect against all strains of the flu virus circulating in the community.
You Really Are Sickbut With Something Else
Remember, too, that the flu shot only protects you from influenzanot other infections like the common cold, respiratory syncytial virus , and other viruses that may cause flu-like symptoms. Adults typically catch two to four colds per year, and young children will get six to eight.
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What Was The Novel H1n1 Vaccine
The H1N1 vaccine was a pandemic vaccine designed to provide immunity against the novel H1N1 flu outbreak in 2009, initially referred to as swine flu. Initially, health care providers gave the H1N1 vaccine to those at highest risk for complications of this illness . Even though the virus proved not to be as deadly as expected, researchers suggest the H1N1 vaccine was effective in reducing the effects of this flu virus.
Does The Flu Shot Cause Autism
Some people have concerns that the flu vaccine, and other vaccinations, can cause autism.
However, according to the CDC , studies have shown that there is no link between vaccination and autism.
There are many other myths circulating about vaccinations, including the notion that they weaken the immune system, give people flu, or contain unsafe toxins. These claims are not based on scientific evidence.
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Have There Been Any Recent Updates To The Way Flu Vaccines Are Developed
Tran: Before the pandemic began, the government already was trying to develop a universal flu vaccine that would work on many different influenza strains. It’s an exciting time in the development of vaccines. Because of the pandemic, scientists are finding new ways to develop vaccines more efficiently, which will help us in the future.
I’ve Heard There Are Different Flu Vaccines Available Which One Is Right For Me
There are several different flu vaccines, and your pharmacist or other health care provider can help find the right vaccine for you. The CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older receive the flu vaccine each year. The CDC does not recommend one flu vaccine over another the most important thing is that you get a flu vaccine every year.
All flu vaccines are quadrivalent , meaning they are designed to protect against four different flu viruses. The flu shots are injections that are administered into your upper arm. The flu shots do not contain a live virus and are either inactivated or recombinant .
There is also a nasal spray. The nasal spray contains live-attenuated influenza virus and is quadrivalent. The nasal spray flu vaccine may be an option for healthy people between the ages of 2 and 49 years who aren’t pregnant or have a weakened immune system.
People who are 65 years and older have additional options. Older adults have the option of receiving either a high dose or adjuvanted flu vaccine. These flu shots are specifically formulated for seniors and in past studies, have demonstrated better protection against the flu in persons ages 65 and older.
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You Have An Unrelated Case Of The Flu
The vaccine can take up to two weeks to become effective after you receive it. If you come down with the flu in that period, it’s likely that you were already exposed to the virus before receiving your shot. You didn’t get the flu from the shot.
As well, the strains of flu included in the flu shot vary from year to year. Unfortunately, it is particularly prone to change, with new strains appearing often. Scientists work to target the strains that will be the most prevalent that season so that the vaccination can be tailored accordingly. Despite their best efforts, they may sometimes get it wrong.
Is It True That The Flu Vaccine Can Cause Febrile Seizures In Young Children
A is a convulsion in a child with a fever . They can occur in up to 1 in 20 children aged between 6 months and 6 years old. Febrile seizures usually last around 1 to 2 minutes with loss of consciousness, but nearly all children will recover quickly, regardless of the cause.
Influenza itself can cause fever and results in more febrile seizures than vaccination. In one study, more than 1 in 20 children hospitalised with the flu in Australia had a febrile seizure. In comparison, only 1 in 20,000 children will have a febrile seizure related to fever following a flu shot.
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Who Can Get The Flu Vaccine
An annual flu vaccination is provided through the National Immunisation Program for most people in the community who are at an increased risk of serious complications.
In Victoria, an annual vaccination against influenza is free for:
- children aged 6 months to less than 5 years
- people who have medical conditions that put them at risk of serious complications of influenza
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from 6 months and over
- pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy
- people 65 years and over.
Contact your doctor or immunisation provider for further information about eligibility. People not covered by these categories can also have an annual flu immunisation, but it is not available for free.
Where To Get The Flu Vaccine
You can have the NHS flu vaccine at:
- your GP surgery
- a pharmacy offering the service
- your midwifery service if you’re pregnant
- a hospital appointment
If you do not have your flu vaccine at your GP surgery, you do not have to tell the surgery. This will be done for you.
It’s important to go to your vaccination appointments unless you have symptoms of COVID-19.
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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