Influenza ("Flu") is a contagious disease that spreads around the United States every winter, usually between October and May.
Flu is caused by the influenza virus, and can be spread by caughing, sneezing and close contact.
Anyone can get flu. but the risk of getting flu is highest among children. Symptioms come on suddeny and may last several days. They can include:
Flu can make some people much sicker than others. Those peopel including young children, people 65 and older, pregnant women, and people with certain health conditions such as heart, lung or kidney disease or a weakened immune sysytem. Flu faccine is especially important for those people, and anyone in close contact with them.
Flu can also lead to pneumonia, and make existing medical conditions worse. It can cause diarrhea and sezures in children.
Each year thousand of people in United States die from fle, and many more are hospitalized.
Flu vaccine is the best protection we have from flu and its complication. Flu vaccine also help prevent spreading flu from person to person.
There are two type of influenza vaccine:
You are getting an inactivated flu vaccine, which does not contain any live influenza virus. It is given by injection with needle, and often called the "flu shot"
A different, live, attenuated (weakened) influenza vaccine is spread into nostrils. This vaccine is described in a separate Vaccine Information Statement.
Flu vaccine is recommanded every year. Children 6 month through 8 years of age should get two doses the first year they get faccinated.
Flu viruses are always changing. Each year's flu vaccine is made to protect from viruses that are most likely to cause disease that year. While flu vaccine cannot prevent all cause of flu, it is our best defence against the disease, Inactivated flu vaccine protected 3 or 4 different influenza viruses.
It takes about 2 weeks for protection to develop after the vaccination , and protection lasts several months to a year.
Some illness that are not caused by influenza virus are often mistaken for flu. Flu vaccine will not prevent these illnesses. it can only prevent influenza.
A "high-dose" flu vaccine is available for people 65 years of age and older. The person giving you the vaccine can tell you more about it.
Some inactivated flu vaccine contain a very small amount of mercury-based preservative called thimerosal. Studies have shown that thimerosal in vaccines is not harmful, but flu vaccines that do not contain a preservative are available.
Tell the person who gives you the faccine:
Risks of vaccine reaction With a vaccine, like any medicine, there is a chance of side effects. These are usually mind and go away on their own. Serious side effects are also possible, but are very rare. Inactivated flu vaccine does not contain live flu virus, so getting flu from this vaccine is not possible. Brief fainting spells and related symptoms (such as jerking movements) can happen after any medical procedure, including vaccination, Sitting or lying down for about 15 minutes after a vaccination can help prevent fanting and injuries caused by falls. Tell your doctor if you feel dizzy or light-headed, or have vision changes or ringing in the ears. Mild problems following inactivated flu vaccine: Soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given. hoarseness; sore, red or itchy eyes: cough fever aches headche itching fatigue If these problems occur, they usually begin soon after the shot and last 1 or 2 days. Moderate problems following inactivated flu vaccine: Young children who get inactivated flu vaccine and pneumococcal vaccine (PCV 13) at the same time may be at increased risk for seizures caused by fever. Ask you doctor for more information. Tell your doctor if a child who is getting flu vaccine has ever had a seizure. Severe problems following inactivated flu vacine: A severe allergic reaction could occur after any vaccine (estimated less than 1 in million doses). There is a small possibility that inactivated flu vaccin could be associated with Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). no more than 1 or 2 cause per millin people vaccinated. This is much lower than the risk of severe complications from flu, which can be prevented by flu vaccine. The safty of vaccines is always being monitored. For more information, visit: www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafty/
What should i look for?
Signs of severe allergic reaction can include hives, swelling of the face and throat, difficulty breathing, a fast hearbeat, dizziness and weakness. These would start a few minute to a few minutes to a few hours after the vaccination.
What should i do?
VEARS is only for reporting reactions. They do not give medical advice.
The National Vacine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) is a federal program that was created to compen sate people who may have been injured by certain vaccines.
Person who believe they may have been injured by a vaccine can learn about the program and about filing a claim by calling 1-800-332-2382 or visiting VICP website at www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/index.html.