It’s much more serious than a cold: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over the course of 31 seasons from 1976 to 2007, estimates of flu-associated deaths in the United States range from about 3,000 to about 49,000 annually. Of these deaths, 90 percent occur in people 65 years and older. An annual flu vaccine, which can be received in either an injection or nasal spray form, is the best way to reduce your chances of getting seasonal flu and spreading it to others, but the vaccines aren’t for everyone. To understand why, one must first understand the nature of the vaccines themselves.
Those Who Can, Should
The CDC notes that flu vaccines are administered to cause the body to develop antibodies that protect against infection within about two weeks of vaccination. That is to say, flu vaccines are not 100 percent effective at preventing the flu. Each year's flu vaccine protects against the strain of flu that experts find will be most common in the current season.
Traditional seasonal flu vaccines (trivalent vaccines) provide protection from three strains of the flu virus, according to the CDC.
· An influenza A (H1N1) virus
· An influenza A (H3N2) virus
· An influenza B virus
There are also flu vaccines that protect against four strains of the flu virus (quadrivalent vaccines), which provide protection from the same strains as those mentioned above as well as another B virus.
There are several types of vaccines within these categories, as outlined by Flu.gov:
● Standard-dose trivalent shots (IIV3)/Quadrivalent flu shot: These vaccines are manufactured using virus cultures grown in eggs. There are different versions for people of different ages. Shots are available for those as young as six months of age and older.
● Intradermal trivalent shots: These vaccines, which are approved for people aged 18 to 64, are injected into the skin, not the muscle, thus allowing for use of a smaller needle.
● High-dose trivalent shot: This vaccine is approved for people 65 and older. Those in this age bracket are a higher risk of serious complications from the flu virus.
● Trivalent shot containing virus grown in cell culture: This injection is approved for people ages 18 and up.
● Recombinant egg-free trivalent shot: This injection is also available for people who are 18 to 49.
● Quadrivalent nasal spray vaccine: This form of the vaccine is approved for people two to 49 years old and recommended preferentially for healthy children two to eight years old, unless there is an underlying medical condition that would predispose them to flu complications.
Beginning with the 2014-15 flu season, the CDC began recommending the use of the quadrivalent nasal spray vaccine in healthy children between the ages of two and eight, when immediately available, and to get an injection rather than delay getting the vaccine. Most important, the CDC advise all people six months of age and older to get a flu vaccine each year, except people who are deemed “high risk for developing flu-related complications.”
Factors a physician will use to determine your suitability to receive a particular vaccine include age, health and any relevant allergies (including an allergy to eggs, which can be used to grow the virus in the vaccine.
Who Should NOT Be Vaccinated?
While most people who contract the flu will have a mild form of the illness and be able to recover at home without the need for medical attention or antiviral drugs, some people are more likely to get flu complications, including pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infections, which can range in severity. However, there are also people who should not get a flu vaccine, either in injectable form or as a nasal spray. Among them:
Flu Shot
The following people should not get a flu shot, or should discuss the potential consequences of a flu vaccine with their doctors before getting the flu shot:
● Children younger than six months old
● People with severe, life-threatening allergies to the vaccine or any ingredient in the vaccine, including gelatin, antibiotics, eggs or other ingredients.
● People who have had Guillain-Barre Syndrome (a severe, paralyzing illness, called GBS) should speak with their doctors about their GBS history before getting a flu shot.
● If you are already ill, should speak with your doctor about your symptoms before getting a flu vaccine.
Nasal Spray Vaccine
The following people should not get a nasal spray vaccine or should discuss the consequences of the nasal spray vaccine with their health care providers prior to getting this vaccination:
● Children younger than two years of age
● Adults 50 and older
● People who have a history of a severe allergic reaction to a previous flu vaccine or any ingredient in the vaccine
● People allergic to eggs
● Children and adolescents (two years old to 17 years old) who are on long-term aspirin treatment
● Pregnant women
● People with compromised or weakened immune systems
● Children two to four years old who have asthma or a history of wheezing in the 12 months prior to the vaccination
● People who have taken influenza antiviral drugs within the previous 48 hours
● Those who are caregivers for anyone who is severely immunocompromised, who would require a protective environment or have to avoid contact with those persons for seven days after getting the nasal spray vaccine.