Difference between revisions of "Get a Flu Shot"

#Check with your insurance provider.  In general, flu shots are required for any health coverage.<ref name="rf1"> http://www.hhs.gov/answers/affordable-care-act/will-the-aca-cover-my-flu-shot/index.html</ref>  It may be best practice, however, to check first with your insurance provider before going to get the vaccine, as they may have specific approved locations.<ref name="rf2">https://consumerist.com/2013/11/26/check-your-insurance-before-getting-flu-shot-at-walgreens-other-stores/</ref>

#Stop at a pharmacy.  Most pharmacies offer a quick flu vaccine, which works well when a doctor’s appointment is difficult to schedule.  Convenience is sometimes an issue, and the availability at pharmacies has shown a significant increase in people who get vaccinated.<ref name="rf3"> http://healthland.time.com/2013/09/04/flu-shots-at-the-pharmacy-what-you-need-to-know/</ref>

#Ask if your employer offers the flu vaccine.  Employers lose countless man-days per year due to flu illnesses.<ref name="rf4"> https://www.passporthealthusa.com/employer-solutions/on-site-flu-clinics/</ref>  There are a variety of resources available to businesses wanting to offer the service.<ref name="rf5"> http://www.cdc.gov/flu/business/</ref>

#Check your school or college.  While many college students don't get a flu shot, the vaccine is almost universally available on campus.<ref name="rf6">http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2012/09/13707.html</ref>  Go to university health centers or medical facilities nationwide to avoid the high-risk college environment.

#Discuss which vaccine to get.  There are several flu vaccine options.  Sifting through all the information can be daunting, but there are currently two kinds of flu vaccines: trivalent and quadrivalent, both of which are similarly effective.<ref name="rf7"> http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6430a3.htm#Considerations_Use_Live_Attenuated</ref> The vaccine you get depends on your age.

#*Flu viruses are constantly changing and the vaccine composition is reviewed each year and updated as needed.<ref name="rf8">www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/vaccine-section.htm</ref>

#Get the trivalent vaccine.  The trivalent vaccine protects against two types of A-strains of flu (the type that causes epidemics), and one type of B-strain, which is less severe.  The A-strains covered are the H1N1 and H3N2, and the B-strain is either a derivative of Victoria or Yamagata lineage.<ref name="rf9"> http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2013/02/who-recommends-new-b-strain-next-seasons-flu-vaccine</ref>  Typically, the first B-strain included in the trivalent vaccine is the one predicted to be most prevalent in the annual flu season.  There are four possible options for the trivalent vaccine.

#*Because immune systems weaken with age, a higher dose shot is available for those over 65 years old.  The higher dosage has four times the antibody creating substance antigen, and helps older people with their immune response.<ref name="rf10">http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/qa_fluzone.htm</ref>

#*A cell-based shot is also available for anyone over 18 as an alternative to the typical shot.  Instead of an egg, animal cells are used to create the vaccine.  The vaccine itself isn’t different, but the flexibility of this type of creation is beneficial because it doesn’t rely on egg supply.<ref name="rf11"> http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/cell-based.htm</ref> This is a good option if you have an egg allergy.

#Receive the quadrivalent vaccine.  The quadrivalent vaccine includes both A-strains of the flu, the B-strain contained in the trivalent vaccine, and one more B-strain, hence the quad (meaning "four") prefix.<ref name="rf12"> http://www.cover-tek.com/trivalent-vs-quadrivalent-your-guide-to-the-flu-vaccine/</ref>  Currently there are three options available.

#*An intradermal vaccine is available as an alternative to the traditional shot.  While the traditional shot is delivered into the muscle, the intradermal shot uses a smaller needle and is injected under the skin.  This shot requires less antigen, and is specifically for people 18-64 years old.<ref name="rf13">http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/qa_intradermal-vaccine.htm</ref>

#*A nasal spray, also called the Live, Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV), is approved for people two to 49 years old.  An attenuated vaccine is created using a lessened pathogen that removes the danger from the vaccine — 1 in 100 quintillion chances it reverts to actual influenza — but nonetheless keeps it partially live.<ref name="rf14">https://www.flumistquadrivalent.com/hcp/myths-vs-facts</ref><ref name="rf15"> http://www.vaccines.gov/more_info/types/#live</ref>  This version of the vaccine should not be taken by anyone outside the age range, those with previous allergic history of reactions to vaccines or eggs, children two to 17 who are undergoing aspirin therapy, anyone with asthma, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems.<ref name="rf16">http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/nasalspray.htm</ref>

#Expose your arm.  Aside from the nasal spray, flu shots — including jet injection — are given intramuscularly in the deltoid (upper arm and shoulder) region.  While the intradermal applied at 45 degrees just under the skin, the intramuscular injections are 90 degrees straight into the muscle.<ref name="rf17">http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p3084.pdf</ref>

#Be prepared for the side effects. The viruses in the flu shot are killed (inactivated) or attenuated (weakened to ineffectiveness), so you will not get the flu from a flu shot.<ref name="rf18">http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm</ref>  There are some minor side effects, however. If these problems occur, they begin soon after the shot and usually last one to two days:

#*Fatigue<ref name="rf19"> http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/flulive.html</ref>

#*Children younger than five years old — particularly those younger than two — are particularly vulnerable to complications.  Approximately 20,000 children each year have difficulties with the flu vaccine, resulting in potential dehydration, pneumonia, or sometimes worse conditions..<ref name="rf20"> http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/infantcare.htm</ref>

#*People older than 65 should be cautious because their immune system gets weaker with age.<ref name="rf21"> http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/65over.htm</ref>  It’s estimated that over half the flu-related hospitalizations each year are people over the age of 65.  Even worse, 80 – 90% of all seasonal flu deaths are from the same age group.<ref name="rf21" />

#*Pregnant women, including two weeks postpartum, may not want to get the flu shot.  During pregnancy, there are a myriad of changes in a woman’s immune system, as well as her cardiovascular system.  As such, pregnant women are more likely to face flu related illnesses, hospitalizations, and potentially death.<ref name="rf22"> http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/pregnant.htm</ref>

#*Residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities are highly susceptible to outbreaks and illnesses.  In fact, in late 2005 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began a program that not only offered, but tracked compliance with, the flu vaccine.  Because of the aging residents, and the potential for virus introduction from new members, many facilities make the flu vaccine a mandatory part of admission and retention.<ref name="rf23"> http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/ltc-facility-guidance.htm</ref>

#*American Indians and native Alaskans may have elevated risks associated with the flu vaccine.<ref name="rf24"> http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/native/protect_circle_life_factsheet.pdf</ref>

#*Asthma is a naturally vicious pairing with the flu.  While those with asthma may not be more likely to actually contract the flu, they are more prone to complications.  Swollen airways already affected by asthma can be further aggravated by the flu.  What’s more, asthma attacks may be caused, and worse conditions like pneumonia can be the result.<ref name="rf25"> http://www.cdc.gov/flu/asthma/index.htm</ref>

#*Refrain if you have Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS).  In 1976 there was a connection between an influenza vaccine and GBS.  People who have GBS naturally have flawed immune systems, are therefore susceptible to flu vaccine complications, and should check with a physician before getting treated.<ref name="rf26"> http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/guillainbarre.htm</ref>   

#Lose weight.  If you are morbidly obese — categorized by a Body Mass Index (BMI) of greater than 40 — you are more likely to have various heart ailments, metabolic issues, and even certain cancers.<ref name="rf27">http://www.healthline.com/health/weight-loss/obesity#Complications5</ref>  As such, there is a greater risk with the flu vaccine.

*Some inactivated influenza vaccine contains a preservative called thimerosal.<ref name="rf28"> http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/vaccine/thimerosal.htm</ref>  Some people have erroneously suggested that thimerosal may be related to developmental disabilities (such as autism) in children.  No studies support these claims, however, there are options for those who wish to avoid thimerosal: <ref name="rf29">http://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20070926/thimerosal-no-smoking-gun</ref><ref name="rf30"> http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/autism-and-vaccines-topic-overview</ref><ref name="rf31"> http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/autism.html</ref>

**Thimerosal-free seasonal influenza shots are available.<ref name="rf32"> http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/thimerosal/faqs.html#4A</ref> Multi-dose vials of seasonal influenza vaccine contain thimerosal to prevent potential contamination after the vial is opened; single-dose vials usually do not.