The Influenza vaccine is available in two types: inactive influenza injection and active nasal spray. The injection contains dead virus cells and is U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved for healthy people and those with chronic illness older than the age of 6 months. The spray contains live, but weakened, virus cells for use in healthy people who are not pregnant, ages 2 to 49. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that antibodies develop in the body to fight the virus approximately two weeks after receiving the vaccination.
CDC Advisory
On February 24, 2010, a panel of experts for the CDC collectively recommended that everyone older than 6 months of age should receive annual influenza vaccine beginning with the 2010-2011 influenza season. This recommendation results from the threat of pandemic viruses as seen during the 2009 H1N1 scare. The danger of influenza is lessened when everyone is fighting the virus together. The 2010-2011 season will offer more brands of vaccines, reports the CDC. The first season vaccine protects against H1N1, H3N2 and influenza B viruses based on predictions from the international surveillance system.
Who Should NOT Be Vaccinated
Everyone should consult a physician prior to vaccination. Those especially at risk for adverse reactions include people with allergies to chicken eggs or illness with a fever, anyone who has had a previous allergic reaction to the flu vaccine or who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome, a nerve disorder caused by infections, and children younger than the age of 6 months.
Side Effects
Although side effects cannot be predicted, some may include inflammation, pain and redness at the vaccination site, low-grade fever and muscle aches within a day or two after vaccination. Severe allergic reactions are possible but as the University of Maryland Medical Center reports, even minor side effects are rare. They add that people who do get the flu despite receiving the vaccine will likely experience milder complications.
Health Care Providers and First Responders
Under-immunized populations such as children pose a threat for potential outbreaks. Health care providers and first responders who are not vaccinated can be potential carriers of influenza and other disease and infect high-risk individuals such as those with weakened immune systems. Along with the CDC, the National Foundation for Infectious Disease and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations say that health care personnel should be vaccinated to set an example to patients. They also should stay abreast of current influenza news in order to better educate patients.
Considerations/Misconceptions
Drugs.com says not to accept a vaccine from a previous season as annual vaccinations are based on the current year's biggest threat. They suggest keeping a detailed record such as the vaccination lot number, manufacturer, date and who administered the drug in case of recalls or complications.
The University of Maryland Medical Center stresses that estimates from the CDC support the argument for everyone getting vaccinated --- more than 200,000 people are hospitalized and more than 36,000 die from the influenza virus annually.
Even those at low risk for contracting the flu virus can be carriers for the flu and endanger others. It is important to understand that viruses contained in the flu shot are not alive, says the CDC, and therefore it is not possible to contract the flu from the shot.
References
- Drugs: Influenza Virus Vaccine
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Seasonal Influenza (Flu): Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Flu Vaccine Facts
- CDC Online Newsroom: Press Release
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Vaccines and Immunizations: Vaccines and Preventable Diseases
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Health Care Personnel Initiative to Improve Influenza Vaccination and Tookit
