Flu shot 2015-2016: Facts, Myths And Side Effects

Flu shot 2015-2016: The flu (influenza) vaccine  is an  annual shot for protection from influenza or the so called flu.

Flu vaccine 2015-2016 during flu season CDC recommends flu vaccination for people of all ages from six months up.

The Flu could be an extremely tough disease with the ability of causing serious complications.

Especially threatened are the high risk groups like children, pregnant women, elderly people of age 65 and above, as well as those with chronic health conditions.

According to CDC, the best way for protection of  you and your family during  the flu season is the flu vaccine.

Before the arrival of  flu season scientific  researchers build forecast for the up coming most common flu mutations possible. Based on this inquiry the forthcoming vaccinations are created. Because of the ability of the flu virus to mutate every year a new vaccine have to be present for the season.

What flu vaccines are ?

According to the number of  virus strain protection there are trivalent and quadrivalent shots. The trivalent vaccine protects from two type (A) flu strain H1N1, H3N2 and one (B) type flu strain. As for the quadrivalent it is covering the same strains as the trivalent and adding additional one from the (B) virus type strain.

Flu vaccines are available in several distinct forms. Except the standard shot trough needle piercing, there are a subcutaneous(under the skin layer) vaccine and a nasal spray. Common are those with increased dose for people of age 65 and above, subcutaneous vaccine applicable between the age of 18 and 64 and a nasal spray approved for all healthy persons from the age of 2 to 49 and such as an egg- free vaccine for those with allergies from eggs.

There also is the so-called jet injector flu vaccine, used without the need of a needle. The injector devise uses a liquid stream of high pressure for injecting the vaccine. The jet injector is approved for those between 18 and 64 years of age.

Flu shot 2015-2016

During the present flu season 2015-2016 there will be from 171 to 179 millions available units of flu vaccination  shots in the United States. All types of the influenza vaccine are at disposal all over the whole country.

This season all vaccines from the variety of  nasal spray and short needle (intradermally) vaccine will be of the quadruple sort while the intense dose shot and the jet injector vaccine come of the  reactive trivalent  type. The conventional flu vaccine also called intramuscular vaccine, will be present with both, trivalent and quadrivalent type.

The previous year health authority stated that the preferred vaccine for children between 2 and 8 should be the nasal spray because of their considered opinion of it working at its best with this age group.

This year’s additional research did not confirm of nasal spray’s superiority for that age category. Due to that, health authority refrain from such recommendations. So for the upcoming season of 2015-2016 for children age 2 up to 8 the nasal spray as well as shot vaccines are equally recommended.

When to vaccinate against flu?

It’s difficult to predict  the exact beginning of the flu season and when it’s going to end, therefore health authorities recommend setting of influenza vaccine during early fall as CDC advises of such before October. Generally flu season reaches its height  in January and February. If you have not taken your flu shot 2015-2016 you still have time to do so before flu epidemic reaches its peak.

“We would like to get as much people as possible protected against influenza before the flu turns active in communities all over the country” ,says Dr.William Schaffner, an expert at infectious diseases and preventive medicine at the Medical University of Vanderbilt.

According to Schaffner the majority of flu shot vaccinations are conducted before the day of Thanksgiving. But for those missed there’s still time for vaccination trough winter months.

Two weeks is the required time after vaccination for the human body to develop the required antibodies against the flu viruses.

On the right at your disposal is the “flu shot finder” menu, with which to find the nearest position where you can have your vaccine put. It’s advisable before going for vaccination to contact this location by phone ,to check availability for the preferred vaccine type you have chosen.

How efficient is the flu shot?

Effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccination  varies due to several circumstances including how accurate the forecast of the admitted influenza strains is against the mutations in circulation during the flu season. Some analysis show that when the foretaken vaccine strains meet those in spread through flu season, efficiency of influenza vaccine is about 60%. This means that around  60% of vaccinated individuals will not be infected over the flu season.

The forecast of influenza strains included into the vaccine for flu season 2014-2015 have not been accurate as a result of mutation in flu strain H3N2 which led to inefficiency in the influenza vaccine for the season. Vaccine capability barley reached 23% which led to a great number of people hospitalized and CDC recommended antiviral medications in treatment the flu and the flu- caused complications.

CDC research in 2013 shows that  those who took flu shot  undergo the disease with much lighter symptoms. Those who were sick and  vaccinated however, had  bigger chance to avoid complications due to influenza and hospitalization than unvaccinated ones.

Some inquiries on influenza vaccination show that flu increased dose shot provides better protection for people above 65 years of age. The increased dose shot contains up to four times the dose of standard one, says Schaffer. Research in 2014 conducted by New England paper of medicine establishes the increased dose shot provides 24% higher protection against influenza than the standard dose shot according to Schaffner.

Are flu shot 2015-2016 vaccination harmless for pregnant women?

According to CDC flu shot vaccinations are harmless during all stages of pregnancy.

Doctor Schaffner claims that there are several reasons for pregnant women to take influenza vaccination.

Pregnant women sickened from flu have tendencies to go trough much heavier illness”. They are exposed to elevated risk of complications and hospitalization due to the illness, says Schaffner.

In addition vaccination during pregnancy benefits in protecting the baby from influenza during the first six mounts of their life, throughout this period it’s too young to receive flu shot. “The mother passes on this protection over her unborn child”, adds  Schaffner.

What side effects flu vaccines can have?

According to CDC milder side effects from flu shot 2015-2016  include swelling or redness over area of  injection, inflammation, slight muscle pain, low-grade temperature. Only up to 1% or 2% of all could induce a temperature as a side effect, seas Schaffner.

In rare cases allergic reactions may occur as a serious side effect. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction include swelling around eye sockets, swelling of the lips, difficulty breathing, hives, dizziness, increased heart beat, high temperature. CDC warns that if you have experienced severe side effects from flu vaccination to contact medical aid immediately.

Side effects may occur with nasal spray type vaccine. In children side effects may include headaches, wheezing, catarrh, increased temperature, muscle pain and vomitting. Side effects in seniours  include sore throut, headaches, cough and catarrh. In comparison with influenza symptoms during illness these vaccine side effects last much less time, according to CDC.

Can you get ill from influenza trough vaccination?

“This is an urban myth- you can’t get flu from anti flu vaccine” seas Schaffner.

The flu vaccine contains dead influenza viruses making it impossible for people to get ill from flu shot. Some people may get sick from flu after vaccination, this is because of the two weeks period needed for the body to develop antibodies for the battle against flu viruses.

People some times erroneously interpret simple cold symptoms with those of the flu vaccine, says Schaffner.

Vaccine type nasal spray contains live but weakened flu virus bodies unable to cause flu. Virus bodies in nasal spray vaccination are unable to reproduce themselves in the temperature of the lungs and other parts of the body. However the virus causes milder infection in the nasal cavity because of  the temperature there being low. In some people this infection causes symptoms like sore throat, cough and catarrh says Schaffner.

Who should not receive vaccine?

There are people who should not receive influenza vaccine. All who in the past received severe allergic reactions caused by vaccination and children under the age of six mounts should not go trough vaccination according to CDC.

If you have high temperature you should not have vaccination. (You must wait for the fever to pass.)

If you are in a milder disease like headache or light cold, you are suitable for vaccination, says Schaffner. “Flu shots affect positively those cases”.

Finally we would like to warn you that this article is for informational purposes only and is not designed to provide medical aide. We advise if you don’t know whether you are suitable for vaccination or how this might reflect on you to contact your medical aid provider first and check whether to receive flu shot for season 2015-2016.

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