Summary Of Global Influenza Vaccine Recommendations For Children With Allergic Disease
The overall recommendations for influenza vaccination in children with asthma and egg allergy are as follows:
– Influenza vaccination is strongly recommended in children with asthma.
– IIV is recommended as a first choice in children with asthma. However, the efficacy of IIV is likely to be less than that of LAIV.
– IIV is not contraindicated in children with egg allergy. A single dose with 30 minute-observation without skin test is recommended in the usual manner.
– IIV is not contraindicated in children with egg anaphylaxis. A single dose with 30-minute observation without skin test is recommended under the care of appropriate personnel and emergency equipment. If emergency equipment is not available, refer to an allergist.
– Re-vaccination is contraindicated in children with anaphylaxis from a previous influenza vaccination. Evaluation for trace components other than egg protein is necessary.
– LAIV is currently not recommended in children with asthma there are few data on its safety. However, the growing evidence supports the safety and efficacy of LAIV in children with asthma.
– LAIV is not recommended in children with egg allergy. There are few data on its safety. However the growing evidence supports the safety and efficacy of LAIV in children with egg allergy.
– Neither vaccination nor asthma guidelines provide a proper vaccination strategy for children with severe asthma or asthma concurrent with egg anaphylaxis. Further research will be needed.
Vaccine Supply And Distribution
How much influenza vaccine is projected to be available for the 2020-2021 influenza season?
Flu vaccine is produced by private manufacturers, so supply depends on manufacturers. Vaccine manufacturers have projected that they will supply the United States with as many as 188 million to 200 million doses of influenza vaccine for the 2021-2022 season. These projections may change as the season progresses. All flu vaccines for the 2021-2022 season will be quadrivalent . Most will be thimerosal-free or thimerosal-reduced vaccine and about 18% of flu vaccines will be egg-free.
Where can I find information about vaccine supply?
Who Should Not Get A Flu Vaccine
Children younger than 6 months cannot get a flu shot. Those who’ve had a severe allergic reaction to a flu vaccine in the past should not get that type of flu shot again, and should speak with their health care provider about whether they can receive another type of flu shot, the CDC says. Similarly, people who’ve had a life-threatening reaction to ingredients in flu vaccines besides egg proteins shouldn’t get flu vaccines with those ingredients, and should speak with their health care provider about whether there is a flu vaccine that’s right for them, the CDC says.
People with egg allergies can still receive any type of flu shot that’s recommend for their age group, even if the flu shot is made with egg-based technology , the CDC says. Studies have found that people with egg allergies are very unlikely to experience a severe reaction to flu vaccines. People who’ve had a severe allergic reaction to egg should get their flu shot under the supervision of a health care provider who can treat severe allergic reactions, the CDC says. In addition, several types of flu shots are egg-free, including recombinant flu vaccines and cell-based flu vaccines.
You should not get the flu vaccine if you have a high fever.
However, if you have minor illness, like a mild cold or a headache, you can still get a flu shot, Schaffner said. “The vaccine does perfectly well in those folks.”
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The Best Flu Vaccine If Youre Scared Of Needles
While most people use the terms flu vaccine and flu shot interchangeably, not all flu vaccines use a needle to deliver the ingredients.
FluMist Quadrivalent is a nasal spray vaccine. However, its not the right choice for some people. This vaccine is only FDA-approved for people between ages 2 and 49. FluMist Quadrivalent is also a live attenuated vaccine, meaning it contains weakened versions of the flu viruses instead of inactivated viruses. People who are pregnant and those with certain health problems such as a weakened immune system shouldnt receive it.
Growing Evidence: Safety Of Influenza Vaccination In Children With Egg Allergy
Until 2010, influenza vaccination in children with egg allergy was contraindicated because the residual ovalbumin could cause anaphylaxis or a severe allergic reaction in sensitive children .
Recently, most vaccine manufacturers began reporting the residual amounts of ovalbumin in their influenza vaccines annually, and the residual amount in the reported vaccines is less than 1 µg/mL, which is safe for use in patients with egg allergy . The residual amounts that were in the vaccines that were on the Korean market in 2004-2006 were also 0.1 µg/mL .
Similar to the studies discussed above, growing evidence has demonstrated the safety of influenza vaccination in children with egg allergy, even in those with previous anaphylaxis with egg . Based on these results, the vaccine practice parameter developed by the Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters , representing the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology , announced the safety of IIV in children with egg allergy in 2012 . Based on this recommendation, there has been a significant shift in influenza vaccination practices however, 4.8% of allergists reported not administering IIV to children with egg allergy, and 17% only administered it to children with mild cases .
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Growing Evidence: Safety Of Influenza Vaccination In Children With Asthma
A number of studies have demonstrated the safety of LAIV in children with asthma. One randomized, open-label trial conducted among 2,229 asthmatic children aged 6 to 17 years reported that LAIV showed 32% increased protection against culture-confirmed influenza without worsening asthma symptoms or peak expiratory flow rates . Two cross-over trials involving 712 children with asthma compared IIV with a placebo injection and demonstrated no significant asthma exacerbations in the 2 weeks following the influenza vaccination . Ambrose et al. reported the safety and efficacy of LAIV using secondary analysis from 2 randomized, multinational trials of LAIV in children aged 2-5 years with asthma or prior wheezing.
Evergreen Flu Vaccine Ingredients: The Preservatives And Additives
Beyond the three to four viral components, a number of additives and preservatives are required to make vaccines effective and to keep them from going bad. These ingredients, sometimes covered as trade secrets by drug companies in less public drugs, have led to many a conspiracy theory that anti-vaxxers would have you latch onto. Its really much more boring than that.
Here are some of the ingredients you will find in the 2021-2022 flu vaccine and why theyre there.
The Ingredient: Aluminum Salts
Use: Boosts bodys response to the vaccine
The Ingredient: Sugar or gelatin
In: Most vaccines
In: Few flu vaccines only multi-dose vials
Use: Preservative
The CDC says: Thimerosal has a different form of mercury than the kind that causes mercury poisoning . Its safe to use ethylmercury in vaccines because its processed differently in the body and its less likely to build up in the body and because its used in tiny amounts. Even so, most vaccines do not have any thimerosal in them.
The Ingredient: Egg proteins
In: Some vaccines
Use: Growing the vaccine
The CDC says: Because influenza and yellow fever vaccines are both made in eggs, egg proteins are present in the final products. However, there are two new flu vaccines now available for people with egg allergies.
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The Influenza Vaccineoctober 28 2018
Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness that is caused by influenza viruses. Flu can cause mild to severe illness, including hospitalization and death. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention states than an estimated 80,000 Americans died of flu and its complications last winter. This ranks the 2017-18 season as the deadliest since 1976. In addition, there were an estimated 900,00 hospitalizations last flu season.
The best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated every year. The CDC recommends annual influenza vaccination for everyone 6 months of age and older with a licensed, age-appropriate flu vaccine. At Allergy & Clinical Immunology, we have appropriate flu vaccine for every age group. It is especially important for our patients to receive a yearly flu shot. People with chronic health conditions, including asthma and immune deficiencies, are at an increased risk of developing more serious complications from the flu. In addition, people over the age of 65 and children younger than 5 are also at a higher risk of developing flu-related complications.
Patients of our practice do not need to make appointments to get their flu shot. We give flu vaccines during our normal injection hours. We will also give you a flu shot during your scheduled office visit appointment. For those patients who receive allergy injections, we can give you a flu shot on the same day, after you complete the required 30 minute wait time after allergy shots.
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If Youve Had A Severe Allergic Reaction To The Flu Vaccine
You should not get a flu shot if the flu vaccine itself ever caused you to have a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, says Dr. Gordon. Again, this can happen whether you have an allergy to eggs or not.
Because anaphylaxis progresses quickly and can be fatal, the risk of a repeat episode from getting the vaccine far outweighs your risk of getting the flu.
Its important to understand the risks that come with any vaccine, but you can rest easy knowing that just 1.35 out of one million people have experienced one of these severe allergic reactions to the flu vaccine.
The other piece of good news is that among this small population, the anaphylaxis was most often triggered by an allergy to one of the other vaccine components, not to the egg.
The bottom line is, there is no reason for someone with a suspected egg allergy to not get the flu vaccine, says Dr. Lang.
The best thing you can do to put yourself in a safe situation is to inform the medical professional administering your flu shot of your allergies ahead of time.
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When Should I Get My Flu Vaccine
Flu vaccine effectiveness can have a lot to do with when you get it. Its recommended to get your flu vaccine about 2 weeks before flu season begins in your area preferably by the end of October. However, if you get the flu vaccine too early July or August, for instance you may not be protected for the entire flu season.
While September or October are the ideal times to get your flu vaccine, its still recommended to get it later than that if you were unable to do so earlier. If youre unsure when flu season begins in your area, talk to your local pharmacist or healthcare provider.
If youve recently received or will be receiving a COVID-19 vaccine including booster doses you dont have to wait a certain time to get the flu vaccine. You can even get them on the same day, if thats more convenient. These two vaccines arent known to interfere with each other.
Flu Vaccine And People With Egg Allergies
Summary:
CDC and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have not changed their recommendations regarding egg allergy and receipt of influenza vaccines. The recommendations remain the same as those recommended for the 2018-2019 season. Based on those recommendations, people with egg allergies no longer need to be observed for an allergic reaction for 30 minutes after receiving a flu vaccine. People with a history of egg allergy of any severity should receive any licensed, recommended, and age-appropriate influenza vaccine. Those who have a history of severe allergic reaction to egg should be vaccinated in an inpatient or outpatient medical setting , under the supervision of a health care provider who is able to recognize and manage severe allergic conditions.
Most flu shots and the nasal spray flu vaccine are manufactured using egg-based technology. Because of this, they contain a small amount of egg proteins, such as ovalbumin. However, studies that have examined the use of both the nasal spray vaccine and flu shots in egg-allergic and non-egg-allergic patients indicate that severe allergic reactions in people with egg allergies are unlikely. A recent CDC study found the rate of anaphylaxis after all vaccines is 1.31 per one million vaccine doses given.
For the 2020-2021 flu season, there are two vaccines licensed for use that are manufactured without the use of eggs and are considered egg-free:
Changes:
Questions & Answers:
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It’s Time For A Flu Shot Here’s What You Need To Know
Fran Kritz
With all the talk about COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, it’s easy to forget that there’s another respiratory virus poised to strike.
Yes, it’s that familiar winter nemesis, the flu. And there are vaccines to help ward it off but also misinformation and fears circulating. “We’ve been concerned about vaccine fatigue and that people will be confused about whether or when they need the flu shot, and not very eager to once again roll up their sleeve,” says Dr. William Schaffner, medical director of the National Foundation of Infectious Diseases. “Flu is a nasty virus and worth protecting against.”
“Two reasons make getting vaccinated against the flu the wise choice,” he says. “First, it’s been proven year after year that you’re in better shape to fight off the flu if you get the vaccine. Second, by getting vaccinated against the flu, you help protect the people around you.”
Here’s a guide to getting yourself vaccinated against another potentially fatal virus.
I heard the flu essentially disappeared last year. Do I really need a flu shot this year?
Who should get a flu shot?
Anyone 6 months and older, unless your doctor has specifically recommended that you not get a flu shot because of a prior, rare, severe reaction, says Dr. Lisa Grohskopf, a medical officer in the influenza division at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When’s the best time to get the flu shot?
Why not now?
Will the flu vaccine definitely keep me from getting the flu?
What Ingredients Are In The 2021
Again, every flu vaccine is slightly different, depending on the type and manufacturer. However, the FDA released the most lots of one particular vaccine, the Afluria Quadrivalent vaccine, suggesting this will be the most commonly-used flu vaccine this year. Heres a breakdown of those ingredients:
Strains of the virus
Hemagglutinin are the actual strains of the virus that this vaccine is targeting. Strains are chosen based on what is circulating in terms of flu viruses, Dr. Adalja says. Because the northern and southern hemispheres have opposite flu seasons, one may be used to influence the vaccine components of another.
Stabilizers
Sodium chloride, monobasic sodium phosphate, dibasic sodium phosphate, monobasic potassium phosphate, potassium chloride, and calcium chloride are all buffers, says Jamie Alan, Ph.D., an associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University. They keep the vaccine stable in storage, she explains.
Immune system activator
Sodium taurodeoxycholate is used for splittingthis is a way to activate the immune system without giving adjuvant, Alan says.
Ingredients that appear in residual amounts
- Ovalbumin is used to grown enough of the components of the vaccine
- Sucrose is another stabilizer
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Itching At The Injection Site Or A Full
This would signal an allergic reaction, but its very rare to have an allergic reaction to the flu shot, Dr. Adalja notes. There are lots of myths about egg allergies and the vaccine,” he explainsbecause most flu shots and nasal sprays are manufactured using technology that involves small amounts of egg proteins, per the CDC.
“If you can eat scrambled eggs, youre not going to have a problem with the flu shot, Dr. Adalja says. If you have a confirmed egg allergy, you can likely still get the shot, the CDC says.
The caveat: If you experience severe itching at injection site, a rash all over your body, or signs of anaphylactic shock, seek immediate medical attention. And if youve had an allergic reaction to the flu shot in the past, you are among those few groups of people who the CDC recommends skip the flu shot.
How Flu Shots Can Save Lives During Covid
Experts have predicted that the viruses responsible for the flu and COVID-19 will be co-circulating this fall and winter. This has the potential to cause several problems.
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Can I Get The Flu From The Flu Vaccine
No. The virus thats in the flu vaccine is either dead or for FluMist Quadrivalent extremely weak. Because of this, flu vaccines are unable to cause the flu. However, some people experience flu-like symptoms in the days that follow their vaccine. These are side effects of the flu vaccine, and its a sign your immune system is learning how to fight the flu virus.
After your flu vaccine, you may experience:
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A sore, red, or swollen arm
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A headache
-
Muscle aches
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Tiredness
Remember, these are expected side effects and dont mean youre getting sick with the flu. They should go away within a few days.
Unfortunately, its still possible to get sick with the flu after youve received your flu vaccine. It takes about 2 weeks after your vaccine for your immune system to protect you fully. So its possible to catch the flu during that time. And as mentioned earlier, flu vaccine effectiveness isnt perfect. Its also possible to get sick with a strain that wasnt included in the vaccine.
