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Getting the influenza (flu) vaccine each year is the best way to prevent the flu.
It is safe and convenient to get your flu vaccine at the same time, before or after a COVID-19 vaccine, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine, or any other routine vaccines.
Influenza (flu) is a virus that infects the nose, throat, and lungs that can spread through droplets from coughing, sneezing, or talking. Symptoms include fever, cough, muscle aches and pain, sore throat and feeling tired.
Some people are at higher risk of severe illness including young children under five years of age, older adults, pregnant individuals, and people with chronic health conditions. A flu infection can also lead to complications like pneumonia or can make an existing health condition worse.
The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone six months of age and older.
Children under the age of nine years old who are getting their first ever dose of the flu vaccine are recommended to get a second dose at least four weeks after the first dose.
The flu can make older adults very sick. There are two vaccines available for seniors (Fluzone® HD-TIV, Fluad® TIV-adj) that can give better protection. Both vaccines may cause soreness, redness and swelling where the vaccine was given, lasting a few days longer than the standard flu vaccine.
The most important thing is for older adults to be vaccinated. All flu vaccines provide good protection and older adults should not delay vaccination to wait for a particular vaccine.
The flu is more likely to cause illness that results in hospitalization in pregnant people compared to people who are not pregnant. The flu may also be harmful for the developing baby. The flu vaccine is safe and recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding people to reduce the risk of getting very sick from the flu. Vaccination can also protect the fetus and newborn.
The flu vaccine is safe, effective and the best way to protect yourself against getting very sick from the flu.
Each year there is a new vaccine to try to match the strains that are expected to spread. The vaccine can provide protection even when the match to the strain of flu circulating is not exact. Flu vaccines are about 50 per cent effective in preventing the flu in healthy adults. The vaccine also reduces the risk of getting very sick from complications of an infection by 50 per cent.
How much protection the vaccine gives depends on a person’s age and immune system. It takes two weeks for your body to develop an immune response from the vaccine.It takes two weeks for your body to develop an immune response from the vaccine.
The flu vaccine may also provide protection against some other diseases including invasive Group A Streptococcal Disease (iGAS) or worsening of existing chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease.
The flu vaccine cannot make you sick with the flu because it does not contain any live virus.
It is much safer to get the flu vaccine than to get the flu. Flu vaccines are safe, and side effects are usually mild and last only a few days. Common side effects include pain, redness and swelling where the vaccine was given, headache, fever, muscle aches, joint pain or feeling tired. Side effects in children include irritability, drowsiness, or loss of appetite.
In rare cases, serious allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) can occur. Seek medical attention if you have trouble breathing, rash or swelling of the face and throat. Allergic reactions can be treated and are usually temporary. The risk of Oculo-Respiratory Syndrome is very low. The risk of Guillain-Barré Syndrome after flu vaccination is also low, at about one case in a million flu vaccines given. The risk of Guillain-Barre Syndrome is higher following an influenza infection.
Always tell your health care provider if you have allergies or if you have had side effects from a vaccine in the past. This vaccine is not for people who have had any allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to flu vaccine in the past or people who have had Guillain-Barré Syndrome (nerve damage causing muscle weakness or paralysis) within six weeks after flu vaccination.
People who have a history of Oculo-Respiratory Syndrome with severe lower respiratory symptoms (wheeze, chest tightness, difficulty breathing) within 24 hours of influenza vaccination can get the vaccine but should speak with a health care provider first.ing, chest tightness, difficulty breathing) within 24 hours of flu vaccination can get the vaccine but should talk to a health care provider first.
According to the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), egg-allergic individuals can get the flu vaccine using the full dose of any age-appropriate product.