The
“Treating
people, not just problems” since 1989.
(989) 631-4545
Visit our website at: MPCenter.net
|
INFLUENZA
VACCINE WHAT
YOU NEED TO KNOW |
1. Why
get vaccinated? Influenza is a serious disease.
It is caused by a virus that spreads from infected persons to the nose
or throat of others. Adults spread the
virus one day prior to symptoms until five days afterwards. Children spread the disease over ten
days. The “influenza season” in the
Influenza can cause: fever, cough, chills, sore
throat, headache, and muscle aches.
People of any age can get influenza. Most people are ill with influenza for only a
few days, but some get more sick and may need to be hospitalized. Influenza causes thousands of deaths each
year, mostly among the elderly, the young (less than 2 years old), and those
with chronic illnesses.
Influenza
vaccine can prevent influenza.
2. Influenza
vaccine. The viruses that cause
influenza change often. Because of this,
influenza vaccine is updated each year by replacing at least one of the vaccine
viruses with a newer one. This is done
to make sure that influenza vaccine is as up-to-date as possible. This year’s
flu shot (2010) will protect against the H1N1 virus, too.
Protection develops about 2 weeks after the shot
and may last up to one year.
3. Who
should get influenza vaccine? People
at risk for getting a serious case of influenza or complications – or people in
close contact with them – should definitely receive the vaccine. This year, the
Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that everyone over 6 months old
receive the vaccine. Those at highest
risk include:
ü Everyone 65 years of age
or older.
ü Children age 6-23 months
of age.
ü Residents of long-term
care facilities who have chronic medical conditions.
ü Anyone who has a serious
long-term health problem with heart disease, lung disease, asthma, kidney disease,
metabolic disease, such as diabetes or anemia, and any other blood disorders.
ü Anyone whose immune
system is weakened because of: HIV/AIDS or other diseases that affect the
immune system, long-term treatment with drugs such as steroids, or cancer treatment
with x-rays or drugs.
ü Women who will be past
the 3rd month of pregnancy during the influenza season.
ü Healthcare workers.
Others who should consider getting the influenza
vaccine include:
ü Persons 2-18 years old
who are in contact with children under 2, people over 65, or those who have
chronic disease.
ü People who provide
essential community services
ü Travelers to the
Southern hemisphere between April and September, or those traveling to the
tropics any time
ü Students and staff at
schools and colleges, to prevent outbreaks
ü Anyone who wants to
reduce their chance of catching influenza
People 9 years of age and older need one shot.
Children less than 9 years old may need two shots, given one month apart.
4. When
should I get influenza vaccine? The
best time to get the influenza vaccine is between September and December. However, it can be given through March. A new shot is needed each year. Influenza vaccine can be given at the same
time as other vaccines, including pneumococcal and herpes zoster vaccine.
5. Can I
get influenza even though I get the vaccine each year? Yes.
Influenza viruses change often, and they might not always be covered by
the vaccine. But, people who do get
influenza despite being vaccinated often have a milder case than those who did
not get the shot.
Also, to many people, “the flu” is any illness
with fever and cold symptoms. They may
expect influenza vaccine to prevent these illnesses. But, influenza vaccine is effective only
against illness caused by influenza viruses, and not against other causes of
fever and colds.
6.
I’ve heard of a nasal mist that can be used instead of a shot for
immunization. Who can take that? It is only approved for healthy children and
adolescents between 5 and 17 years of age and healthy adults who are 18 to 49
years of age. It is quite a bit more
expensive.
7. Some
people should consult with a doctor before getting influenza vaccine. Consult with a doctor before getting an
influenza vaccination if you:
1)
Ever
had a serious allergic reaction to eggs or a previous dose of influenza
vaccine or
2)
Have
a history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS).
If you are moderately or severely ill at the
time the shot is scheduled you should usually wait until you recover before
getting the influenza vaccine. Talk to
your doctor or nurse about rescheduling the vaccination.
8. What
are the risks from influenza vaccine?
A vaccine, like any medicine, is capable of causing serious problems,
such as severe allergic reactions. The
risk of a vaccine causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small. Almost all people who get influenza vaccine
have not serious problems with it. The viruses in the vaccine are killed, so
you cannot get influenza from the vaccine.
Mild
problems include
soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given, fever, aches. If these
problems occur, they usually begin soon after the shot and last 1-2 days.
Severe
problems: Life-threatening
allergic reactions are very rare. If they
occur, it is within a few minutes to a few hours after the shot.
9. What
if there is a moderate or severe reaction?
What should I look for? Any unusual condition, such as a high fever
or behavior changes. Signs of a serious allergic reaction can include
difficulty breathing, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness, weakness, a fast
heart beat or dizziness.
What should I do?
10. How
can I learn more?
Call
1-800-232-2522 (English), 1-800-232-0233 (Spanish)
Visit
the National Immunization Program’s website at http://www.cdc.gov/Features/FluPrevention/
11.
So, which of the following should receive the flu vaccine?
According to the Michigan Department of
Community Health, the correct answer is that all of these people should receive
the flu vaccine.
Copyright, 2010. John L. Pfenninger, M.D. Influenza
Vaccine Pt Ed/jw02/11