How Safe Is The Flu Vaccine
The influenza vaccine is very safe. It cannot cause the flu. Side effects are usually mild and can include:
- mild soreness where the needle went into the arm for 1 to 2 days.
- a mild fever or aches for the first day or 2 after immunization.
Do not give your child ibuprofen or acetaminophen before or around the time of vaccination as it does not prevent the pain of injection and it could have an impact on how well the vaccine works. These medications can be used to treat fever, pain, or other bothersome side effects if they develop after vaccination.
What Does It Mean When People Talk About The Flu Shot Being A Good Match
Tran: Because the influenza virus is constantly evolving, international public health authorities track the dominant strains year-round. In the U.S., the FDA meets in late February or early March to decide which strains the flu shot should protect against during the following flu season. They settle on the top three to four strains that are likely to spread the most easily and cause the worst harm. Some years, the flu vaccine is a good match for the viruses actually circulating, causing it to work very well. Other years, it’s not as good of a match and less effective.
Im Pregnant Is It Safe To Get The Flu Shot
Yes, the flu shot is safe. Those who are pregnant should be immunized. Infants born during flu season to mothers who got a flu shot are usually protected against the flu for a few months. The flu shot is also safe and highly recommended for those breastfeeding. Since infants less than 6 months of age cannot get the flu shot , antibodies against the flu are transferred through breast milk.
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Types Of Seasonal Influenza Vaccine
Two types of influenza vaccine are widely available: inactivated influenza vaccines and live attenuated influenza vaccines . Traditionally, influenza vaccines have been produced to protect against 3 different seasonal influenza viruses . In most countries this is still the case and the current trivalent vaccines contain influenza A, pandemic A and 1 of 2 influenza B lineage viruses. However, recently vaccines which protect against 4 different viruses, including both influenza B lineage viruses , have become available in some countries.
Regardless of the type or composition of seasonal influenza vaccine, vaccination should be administered annually to provide optimal protection against infection.
Are There Benefits Of Fluzone High
Data from clinical trials comparing Fluzone to Fluzone High-Dose among people 65 years and older indicated that a stronger immune response occured after vaccination with Fluzone High-Dose. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicineexternal icon indicated that the high-dose vaccine was 24% more effective in preventing flu in adults 65 years and older relative to a standard-dose vaccine. Another study published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicineexternal icon reported that people 65 years and older who got Fluzone High-dose had a lower risk of hospital admission compared with people in that age group who got the standard-dose Fluzone, especially those living in long-term care facilities. This study was conducted during the 2013-14 flu season among more than 38,000 resident of 823 nursing homes in 38 states.
For the 2021-22 season, all Fluzone High-Dose vaccine will be quadrivalent. Data comparing the effectiveness of Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent with standard-dose inactivated quadrivalent vaccines are not yet available.
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Why The Flu Vaccine Is Reformulated Every Year
Welcome to National Influenza Vaccination Week, established in 2005 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to promote vaccination awareness to the general public. In that spirit, Dr. Sebeen Razzaq-Ahmed and the team here at East Meadow Medical P.C. remind you to get your annual flu vaccine. You may be one of the many people we hear ask why they need to get vaccinated each year. Well, were here to answer that for you!
Its no secret that influenza, commonly called the flu, is inconvenient, nasty, and downright deadly. The 2017-2018 flu season was among the worst on record, afflicting and killing more Americans about 80,000 than in any season dating back more than three decades. Because the flu is so common, not to mention so deadly, we always recommend that anyone whos able to gets an updated vaccine each year.
Vaccine Supply And Distribution
How much influenza vaccine is projected to be available for the 2021-2022 influenza season?
Flu vaccine is produced by private manufacturers, so supply depends on manufacturers. Vaccine manufacturers have projected that they will supply the United States with as many as 188 million to 200 million doses of influenza vaccine for the 2021-2022 season. These projections may change as the season progresses. All flu vaccines for the 2021-2022 season will be quadrivalent . Most will be thimerosal-free or thimerosal-reduced vaccine and about 18% of flu vaccines will be egg-free.
Where can I find information about vaccine supply?
Special Consideration Regarding Egg Allergy
People with egg allergies can receive any licensed, recommended age-appropriate influenza vaccine that is otherwise appropriate. People who have a history of severe egg allergy should be vaccinated in a medical setting, supervised by a health care provider who is able to recognize and manage severe allergic reactions. Two completely egg-free flu vaccine options are available: quadrivalent recombinant vaccine and quadrivalent cell-based vaccine.
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Can Severe Problems Occur
Life-threatening allergic reactions to flu shots are very rare. Signs of serious allergic reaction can include breathing problems, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness, weakness, a fast heartbeat, or dizziness. If they do occur, it is usually within a few minutes to a few hours after receiving the shot. These reactions can occur among persons who are allergic to something that is in the vaccine, such as egg protein or other ingredients. While severe reactions are uncommon, you should let your doctor, nurse, clinic, or pharmacist know if you have a history of allergy or severe reaction to influenza vaccine or any part of flu vaccine.
There is a small possibility that flu vaccine could be associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome, generally no more than 1 or 2 cases per million people vaccinated. This is much lower than the risk of severe complications from flu, which can be prevented by flu vaccine.
When Should A Person Get Vaccinated
Flu viruses usually cause the most illness during the colder months of the year. In the United States, flu season is from October to May.
The best time to get a flu vaccine is before flu season starts. Getting it as soon as it’s available, usually around September, gives the body time to build immunity. Your mom or dad can find out about vaccine availability from your doctor’s office, or you can ask your school nurse.
Even if you can’t get vaccinated right away, getting it later is better than not getting it at all. It’s still flu season in January or February even then it’s not too late for you to get the flu vaccine. And getting a flu vaccine late in the season is especially important for people who travel. That’s because the flu can be active around the globe from April to September.
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Who Should Get The Flu Vaccine
Anyone over the age of 6 months can have the flu vaccine. The flu vaccine is free for these people, who are considered to be at greater risk of complications from the flu:
- pregnant women
- people aged 65 years and over
- people under 65 years of age with with certain chronic conditions, such as chronic heart disease, chronic liver disease, diabetes, cancer, asthma and COPD
- children aged 4 years or under who have been in hospital for respiratory illness or have a history of significant respiratory illness, including children aged 659 months who were hospitalised with measles.
Check with your doctor if you are uncertain about whether you qualify for a free flu vaccine. Read more about the eligibility criteria.The vaccination is also recommended if you are in close contact with people with weakened immune systems, as these people may be less able to fight off the flu or are at high risk of complications from it. Frontline healthcare workers usually have the vaccine funded by their employer.
Where Can I Get A Flu Shot
There are more places than ever to get your flu vaccination. Doctorsâ offices, clinics, and health departments offer the flu shot but you may need to make an appointment in advance. Pharmacies have become an easy and convenient option to get your flu shot. At Walgreens, we offer flu shots whenever a pharmacist is on duty. Walk-ins are welcome, but if you’d prefer, you can make an appointment online. Find a location near you to ask about vaccine availability or schedule an appointment online.
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How Is The Flu Shot Made
Tran: Vaccine developers use three different types of processes to make flu shots.
Currently, most influenza vaccines are made using an egg-based process. Manufacturers use a fertilized chicken egg to grow whichever four strains of the virus the U.S. Food and Drug Administration decides will be dominant during the upcoming flu season. Manufacturers incubate the egg, allowing the virus to replicate, harvest the virus and then deactivate or weaken it before adding it to a mass-produced injection. A second method uses an animal cell instead of egg cells.
The third process isolates the genes that have the instructions for making the target protein that your body’s immune system must identify. Those genes are combined with a different virus that infects invertebrates, such as worms and helps pass the genetic instructions to a host cell. These proteins are grown in bulk, purified and become so-called recombinant vaccines.
Who Should Not Be Vaccinated
CDC recommends use of the flu shot and the recombinant influenza vaccine . Different flu vaccines are approved for use in different 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.
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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.
People Who Should Avoid Getting Flu Shots:
Flu shots have many benefits, but for a few patients, these benefits are out-weighted be potential harmful reactions. Vaccines for flu are usually not advised for the following patients:
- Patients who have experienced allergies when they had their previous vaccines
- Patients who have a weaker immune system, cannot handle the stimuli of antibodies
- Children below two years or infants
- Pregnant women
It is important to consult a medical doctor before having a flu shot.
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Allergic Reactions To The Flu Vaccine
It’s very rare for anyone to have a serious allergic reaction to the flu vaccine. If this does happen, it usually happens within minutes.
The person who vaccinates you will be trained to deal with allergic reactions and treat them immediately.
Anyone can report a suspected side effect of a vaccine through the Yellow Card Scheme.
Evergreen Flu Vaccine Ingredients: The Preservatives And Additives
Beyond the three to four viral components, a number of additives and preservatives are required to make vaccines effective and to keep them from going bad. These ingredients, sometimes covered as trade secrets by drug companies in less public drugs, have led to many a conspiracy theory that anti-vaxxers would have you latch onto. Its really much more boring than that.
Here are some of the ingredients you will find in the 2021-2022 flu vaccine and why theyre there.
The Ingredient: Aluminum Salts
Use: Boosts bodys response to the vaccine
The Ingredient: Sugar or gelatin
In: Most vaccines
In: Few flu vaccines only multi-dose vials
Use: Preservative
The CDC says: Thimerosal has a different form of mercury than the kind that causes mercury poisoning . Its safe to use ethylmercury in vaccines because its processed differently in the body and its less likely to build up in the body and because its used in tiny amounts. Even so, most vaccines do not have any thimerosal in them.
The Ingredient: Egg proteins
In: Some vaccines
Use: Growing the vaccine
The CDC says: Because influenza and yellow fever vaccines are both made in eggs, egg proteins are present in the final products. However, there are two new flu vaccines now available for people with egg allergies.
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‘what Is The Flu Shot’
Flu season has arrived, and you may have seen signs urging everyone to get a flu shot.
So what is the flu shot, exactly?
The flu shot is a vaccination that helps your body make the necessary antibodies it needs to fight off the influenza virus if you happen to get infected by it. Most flu shots contain influenza viruses that have been inactivated, so they cant infect you. Your immune system recognizes those inactive viruses as invaders, though, and creates antibodies to destroy similar-looking active virus cells if they appear in your body again.
Because the flu comes in many different varieties, the most common flu shot in the U.S. protects you against four strains of influenza. Some flu shots also contain ingredients called adjuvants that create a stronger immune response, and flu shots for people over age 65 come in a high dose version to stimulate the immune system even more.
The flu shot usually is given by injection into the upper arm. Its a quick, relatively painless procedure. Pro tip: Shake out and dangle your arm to relax it before and during the shot, and then keep your arm moving all day to minimize discomfort.
And if you just cant stand the thought of an injection, ask about getting the mist-based version of the flu shot instead. A health care professional will spray this mist up your nostrils — BOOM! Youre vaccinated. That said, the flu mist may not be as easy to find as the flu shot. Call ahead to find out if your doctor’s office or clinic offers it.
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.
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Q& a With Pharmacy Expert Hai Tran Pharmd
As the first cases of flu are reported in Los Angeles this season, public health experts are urging anyone who isn’t already vaccinated to get the flu shot. It’s the best protection against the flu, which could pummel the U.S. this winter after nearly disappearing last year.
“Getting vaccinated against the flu reduces your risk of becoming infected as well as your risk of being hospitalized with an infection or dying,” said clinical pharmacist Hai Tran, PharmD, associate director of Pharmacy at Cedars-Sinai. “You not only protect yourself but also those around you, and you are helping build the herd immunity that protects the most vulnerable people in our community.”
With everyone paying more attention to how vaccines work during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Cedars-Sinai Newsroom interviewed Tran to get a closer look at the flu vaccine. It’s easy to take this long-established tool for granted, but a lot of work throughout the year goes into developing a new formulation of the shot each season.
We spoke with Tran for more details on the flu shot’s origins, how it works and how it’s developed each year.
What Are The Flu Vaccine Side Effects
Common flu shot reactions include redness, soreness, or swelling in the area where the shot was administered. The nasal spray could cause different side effects, such as runny nose, sore throat, or a cough. These side effects are usually mild and short-lived.
Some people may also develop a low-grade fever or body aches. Similar to the other side effects, these symptoms are usually mild and quickly go away on their own. While some of these side effects may feel flu-like, it’s important to remember that flu vaccines will not make you sick with the flu.
Allergic reactions to the flu shot are rare.
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People Who Should Get The Vaccine
Some people are at greater risk from the effects of flu and should get the vaccine when offered it. Theres an increased risk if you:
- are pregnant
- are aged 50 or over, even if you feel fit and healthy
- live in a residential or nursing home
- have an illness or underlying health condition
The annual flu vaccination programme also includes:
- pre-school children aged two years and over
- children at primary school and secondary school
- carers if you care for another person, you should ask your GP if you should be vaccinated so you can continue caring for them
- health and social care workers
- staff in independent care homes, hospices and domiciliary care providers
- close contacts of immunocompromised individuals