Health

Flu Season!

Learn How to
Protect Yourself
and Loved Ones!

Lina, PharmD | September 26, 2020

EACH Flu Season Causes Up To

Million Illnesses
9
Thousand Hospitalizations
14
Thousand Deaths
12

It’s almost that time again…flu season. The flu season usually starts Oct and can last until May. The peak flu activity is between December and February so it’s important to get the flu shot before then. With the end of Covid-19 not quite in sight yet, it’s even more important to get your flu shot this year. 

You’re a healthy, young person. If you get the flu, your body will likely be able to fight it off, so why should you get the flu shot, you ask?  

First off, healthy people can still develop complications from the flu. No one is invincible to the flu. Secondly, vaccines work to protect the person vaccinated, as well as the entire community if enough people in the community get vaccinated.  The term is “herd immunity” when a high percentage of the community has immunity to a disease.  A person can become immune to a disease by either having had a previous infection to that particular virus or bacteria OR by getting vaccinated. (Note: It’s important to know that the flu viruses mutate all the time, so even if you had the flu a previous year, you most likely are not protected for the current year’s flu strains.)  If enough people in the community are immune, then the virus cannot infect people easily and thus, cannot spread easily.

Who should get the flu shot?

Everyone over the age of 6 months of age, except those who have had severe, life threatening allergies to a component of the vaccine, such as gelatin. Those with an egg allergy can get the regular flu shot or Flublok (egg-free) shot, depending on the severity of the allergy.

How exactly do vaccines work?

Vaccines are weakened or inactivated versions of the disease and contain antigens of the germ (virus or bacteria). Antigens are the parts of the germ that our body’s immune system recognizes and builds antibodies for defense against. Since the vaccine contains a part of the virus or bacteria, it mimics the disease and stimulates our body to create defense against the germ. It allows our immune system to ”practice” fighting off the disease.  It can take up to 2 weeks for your body to develop a full response to the vaccine. When we are exposed to the full strength, real disease, our immune system is ready to go. This is called “secondary response”.  Our immune systems respond faster and stronger to fight the disease because it is prepared.

Types of Influenza Viruses during Flu Season:

Causes seasonal pandemic. Most common strains are H1N1 & H3N2.

Causes seasonal pandemic. Most common strains are Victoria & Yamagata.

Causes mild disease.

Not known to cause disease in humans.

What are the available flu vaccines for 2020-2021?

Every year, the flu vaccines are developed to include the strains that are most likely to circulate that flu season. 

  • Trivalent– Contains 3 strains (a H1N1, H3N2, and an influenza B strain)
  • Quadrivalent – Contains 4 strains (a H1N1, H3N2, and 2 influenza B strains)
    • Afluria, Fluarix, FluLaval, Fluzone, Flucelvax, Fluzone High-dose, Fluad, Flublok, Flumist
      • Flublok = egg-free
      • Flumist = intranasal flu vaccine
      • Fluzone High-dose = High dose flu vaccine for those 65 years and older

        All flu vaccines are available thimerosal free.

When should I get the flu shot?

It is recommended to get the flu shot around Sept or October before the flu season starts. If you are not able to get the flu shot by October, it is still better to get it when you can. The flu season can go on until May, so it is better to get the vaccine later than never.

 

Why is there a high dose formulation?

The high dose formulation is intended for people 65 years and above who are at the highest risk for influenza. It has also been shown that older adults have a lower protective response from the regular dose flu vaccine.  The high dose vaccine contains 4 times the antigen of a regular flu shot to allow older people to generate a better immune response.  However, if the high dose formulation is not available, it is better to get the regular dose flu shot than nothing at all.

Can you get the flu from the flu shot?

NO. The flu shots contain inactivated or weakened forms of the disease and cannot cause the flu. You may develop a natural immune response with a low grade fever, muscle aches, and/or headaches. This is normal since your body recognizes the vaccine as a foreign invader and is developing the expected immune response. These side effects are much milder than the symptoms of the flu.  

The other possibility is that you may have caught the flu or a cold. The body will take up to 2 weeks to develop the immune response to the vaccine, so if you are exposed to the flu during those 2 weeks, you can still get the flu.  Also, the flu vaccine is not 100% effective. It contains the 3-4 flu strains that are predicted to be circulating that flu season, but those predictions are not always 100% correct. There is a chance that you catch a circulating flu strain that was not included in the vaccine.

To summarize, everyone over the age of 6 months should get a flu shot every flu season unless they have a severe allergy to a component of the flu vaccine or a history of GBS (Guillain-Barré Syndrome).

Stay Healthy everyone!

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