You’ve filled your customers’ orders for flu vaccine. But, have you addressed your own needs?
Flu season generally peaks in January or February, and can occur as late as May, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While the agency recommends early immunization, it points out that it’s not to late to be vaccinated in January or later. Nor is anyone too young or too old. Babies as young as six months can receive flu shots, and high-dose vaccines area approved for people over 65 years.
Seasonal flu vaccines have a good track record for providing a safe, effective line of protection against seasonal influenza. Still, some people may experience mild – or, less frequently, serious – side effects, including the following:
Mild side effects from flu shots.
- Soreness, redness, and swelling at the injection site
- Fainting, mainly in adolescents
- Headaches
- Fever
- Nausea
Mild side effects from nasal spray.
- Runny nose
- Wheezing
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Muscle aches
- Fever
Serious side effects. (Serious side effects usually begin within a few minutes to a few hours after receiving the shot and require immediate medical attention.)
- Difficulty breathing
- Hoarseness
- Swelling around the eyes or lips
- Hives
- Paleness
- Weakness
- Racing heart
- Dizziness
- Behavior changes
- High fever
Just as people can’t get the flu from flu shots, neither can they catch it from the nasal spray. The shot contains inactivated (killed) flu viruses that cannot cause illness. The nasal spray contains weakened live viruses, which only cause infection in the cooler temperatures found in the nose, and cannot infect the lungs or other areas in the body, where warmer temperatures exist. That said, certain people should not be vaccinated for influenza, including those with:
- A severe allergy to chicken eggs
- A history of severe reaction to a flu vaccination
- A moderate-to-severe illness with a fever
- A history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (a severe paralytic illness, also called GBS)
The majority of people, however, should get vaccinated for flu each season, according to the CDC. Flu is unpredictable and its severity can vary widely from one season to the next, depending on several things, such as:
- What flu viruses are spreading
- How much flu vaccine is available
- When the vaccine is available
- How many people get vaccinated
- How well the flu vaccine is matched to flu viruses that are causing illness
Some people, such as older individuals, young children, pregnant women and people with health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease, are at greater risk for serious complications if they get the flu. At the same time, flu seasons are unpredictable and can be severe. Over a period of 30 years, between 1976 and 2006, the CDC reports estimates of flu-associated deaths in the United States from a low of about 3,000 to a high of about 49,000 people. The bottom line: When more people get vaccinated each flu season, they lower the risk of spreading the disease to others.
Sources: www.Flu.gov and www.cdc.gov.
A flu shot or the nasal spray vaccine? What’s the difference?
| Flu Shot | Nasal Spray |
| Administered by needle injection | Administered through a spray |
| Contains killed viruses | Contains weakened live viruses |
| Approved for use in people six months and older | Approved for non-pregnant, healthy people between the ages of two and 49 years |
| May be used in people at increased risk of flu-related complications, including pregnant women and individuals with chronic medical conditions | Should not be given to individuals with chronic medical conditions or suppressed immune systems, or to children and adolescents receiving aspirin therapy |
Source: Mayo Clinic