Flu Vaccine For People With Long
The flu vaccine is offered free on the NHS to anyone with a serious long-term health condition, including:
- a learning disability
- problems with your spleen, for example, sickle cell disease, or if you have had your spleen removed
- a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or taking medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
Talk to your doctor if you have a long-term condition that is not in one of these groups. They should offer you the flu vaccine if they think you’re at risk of serious problems if you get flu.
Can You Get A Covid Booster And A Flu Shot At The Same Time
Now that flu season is here, you may be concerned about catching two viruses: Influenza and SARS-Cov-2, which causes COVID-19. Health experts have predicted that more people will become infected with the flu this year than last year, and the risk of getting COVID-19 is still very real, especially among unvaccinated people. The best protection against both viruses is vaccination, and vaccines are readily available for both flu and COVID-19.
Who Should Get Vaccinated Against Influenza
Yearly influenza vaccination is recommended for people aged 6 months and over. Anyone who wants to protect themselves against influenza can talk to their immunisation provider about getting vaccinated.
The Australian Immunisation Handbook includes more information about specific groups who should get vaccinated against influenza.
The following people are more at risk of complications from influenza and are eligible for annual influenza vaccination free under the National Immunisation Program:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over
- Children aged 6 months to under 5 years
- Pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy
- People aged 65 years or over.
- People aged 6 months or over who have medical conditions that mean they have a higher risk of getting serious disease:
- cardiac disease
- haematological disorders
- children aged six months to 10 years on long term aspirin therapy.
Children under nine years receiving their influenza vaccination for the first time require two doses of vaccine, spaced by a minimum of one month.
In some states and territories, influenza vaccines may also be provided for free to other people not listed above. Speak to your immunisation provider or contact your state or territory Department of Health to find out.
People who are not eligible for a free vaccine can purchase the vaccine from their immunisation provider.
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Do I Need To Pay For Pneumococcal Immunisation
Vaccines covered by the National Immunisation Program are free for people who are eligible. See the NIP Schedule to find out which vaccines you or your family are eligible to receive.
Eligible people get the vaccine for free, but your health care provider may charge a consultation fee for the visit. You can check this when you make your appointment.
If you are not eligible for free vaccine, you may need to pay for it. The cost depends on the type of vaccine, the formula and where you buy it from. Your immunisation provider can give you more information.
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What Were The Results
The most common side effects that the participants reported were pain around the injection site and fatigue. Only one person experienced a rare reaction and was admitted to the hospital with a migraine.
Two vaccine combinations led to a slight increase in the number of people who reported at least one side effect when they received both of the vaccines together, but the reactions were mostly mild or moderate.
The researchers found no significant difference in four out of the six group combinations.
The study also found that the immune responses to both the influenza and COVID-19 vaccine were preserved with coadministration.
Moreover, 98.7% of the volunteers said that they would be willing to have two vaccines at the same time in the future.
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Who Should Get Vaccinated This Fall
Really, everyone over 6 months old should get the flu shot, especially because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although you can still get the flu even after youve been vaccinated knowing youve had it will likely help your healthcare team diagnose you if you develop symptoms that may be shared by COVID-19 and flu, such as:
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This Infectious Disease Can Pose A Serious Health Risk For Those Age 65 And Older But Two Vaccines Can Offer Sound Protection
One of the leading health dangers for older adults is pneumonia. It is the most common cause of hospital admissions after childbirth. In fact, adults age 65 and older have a higher risk of death from pneumonia hospitalization than any other reason.
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs by bacteria, viruses, or other microbes. Most cases are caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumonia, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Chlamydia psittaci, and Legionella pneumophila. A similar inflammation of the lung, called pneumonitis, can be caused by an inhaled chemical and is more common in people who have had strokes and have difficulty swallowing. A physical exam, chest x-ray, and blood test can confirm a diagnosis.
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What To Do If Your Child Is Unwell After Pneumococcal Vaccination
Most common side effects in babies and young children, such as swelling or redness at the injection site, usually go away within a couple of days and you do not need to do anything about them.
If your child develops a fever, keep them cool. Make sure they do not wear too many layers of clothes or blankets, and give them cool drinks.
You can also give them a dose of infant paracetamol or ibuprofen liquid according to the instructions on the bottle.
Read an NHS leaflet about the common side effects of vaccination that may occur in babies and children under the age of 5, and how to treat them.
Different Childhood Vaccines Can Be Given At The Same Time
Many vaccines are recommended early in life to protect young children from dangerous infectious diseases. In order to reduce the number of shots a child receives in a doctors visit, some vaccines are offered as combination vaccines. A combination vaccine is two or more different vaccines that have been combined into a single shot. Combination vaccines have been in use in the United States since the mid-1940s. Examples of combination vaccines are: DTap , trivalent IPV , MMR , DTap-Hib, and Hib-Hep B.
Often, more than one shot will be given during the same doctors visit, usually in separate limbs . For example, a baby might get DTaP in one arm or leg and IPV in another arm or leg during the same visit.
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Can I Get Both Vaccines At The Same Time
For adults, both the COVID vaccine and influenza vaccine can be given at the same time. Theres no concern about increased side effects from both vaccines nor are there any concerns about them not working as well. You may get a sore arm from both but overall side effects are very minimal with both of these vaccines. Theyre both very safe.
For children 5-11, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization and the Ontario Ministry of Health recommend spacing out the COVID vaccine from other vaccines by two weeks out of an abundance of caution to track side effects more easily.
Does The Vaccine For One Virus Protect Against The Other Virus
COVID-19 and influenza are two very different respiratory viruses. The vaccine against COVID will not protect against influenza. The vaccine against influenza will not protect against COVID. We really are recommending that you be vaccinated against both viruses to protect you, your family, and your community.
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What Are The Pros And Cons Of Being Vaccinated
The benefits of vaccination generally far outweigh any risks, Privor-Dumm says. Although vaccines do have some side effects, most are mild and temporary.
The bigger con is getting disease, which may lead to further health complications, she adds. For instance, people who are hospitalized with influenza have a greater likelihood of heart attack or stroke following their illness, and the economic consequences of a serious illness can be catastrophic for some. Thats why its best to prevent disease in the first place.
Can Be Given With Other Vaccines
COVID-19 vaccines may be administered without regard to timing of other vaccines. This means COVID-19 vaccines can be co-administered with the influenza vaccine during the same visit. Giving all vaccines for which a person is eligible at the same visit is a best practice as it increases the probability people will be up to date on recommended vaccines.
But there are a few rare exceptions to the allowance of simultaneous vaccination. These instances generally involve children who have conditions such as asplenia, complement component deficiency or HIV infection. This is limited to PCV13 and Menactra vaccines, according to the CDC COCA webinar.
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Shingles Vaccine Has Well
The recombinant zoster vaccine, approved in 2017, has replaced the live attenuated zoster vaccine. The previous vaccine caused fewer adverse effects but was far less effective in preventing shingles in older adults.
The recombinant vaccine is now recommended for most adults at least 50 years of age as a one-time, two-dose series.
It is critical to discern the reasons people are not getting their flu shots because fewer than half of American adults get an annual flu shot. Of those, 30% cite potential adverse effects as the reason for hesitation.
However, only injection-site symptoms, such as pain, redness, and swelling, are known to be caused by the influenza vaccine.
Researchers adjusted for factors that could differ between the two study groups, including demographic, clinical, and healthcare use variables.
They also adjusted for insurance type, month, and location of the 2018/19 influenza vaccination, and concurrent administration of any additional vaccines besides the zoster vaccine.
“We also adjusted for several comorbidities known to increase the risk of complications from influenza, including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma, chronic kidney disease, or liver disease, and immunocompromising conditions,” the authors write.
They also took into account whether people in the study had had the flu vaccine in the year prior to the study.
Can You Get Them At The Same Time Hard No
You cant give the PCV13 pneumonia shot with a meningococcal conjugate vaccine, as they may interfere with your bodys immunologic response to PCV13, the CDC warns. There are two meningitis vaccines available in the United States: meningococcal conjugate or MenACWY vaccines. Theres also a vaccine against meningitis B. All 11- and 12-year-olds should get a MenACWY vaccine, with a booster dose at age 16.
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Multiple Vaccinations At Once
Healthcare professionals often carry out routine vaccinations together, but few, if any, interactions are reported.
In the U.K., for example, a 2-month-old baby will receive the 6-in-1, pneumococcal , and rotavirus vaccines at the same time.
Similarly, a 2013 study found that administering the 4CMenB vaccine alongside routine vaccines increased the risk of fever and local tenderness at the injection sites but had no negative effect on the immune response.
Dr. Alcendor said that people often get combinatorial vaccinations, such as measles-mumps-rubella and tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis .
We already have instances where we get multiple vaccines on the same visit for childhood scheduled vaccinations, for military personnel, and when traveling abroad. Therefore, we have prior experience with multiple vaccines administered on the same day that provide broad protection against more than one disease or in the form of multiple vaccinations and combinatorial vaccines.
Dr. Donald Alcendor
say that it is fine to give the flu and COVID-19 vaccines at the same time, too. The organization points out that the reactions are similar with separate administration and coadministration.
The CDC also recommends that everyone aged 6 months or older get a flu shot.
Apart from getting two vaccines on the same day, there is also talk of combining both in one jab. Moderna recently announced that it is working on an all-in-one COVID-19 vaccine booster and flu shot.
Pneumococcal Infections After Influenza
Pneumococcus is known as an opportunistic infection because it lives in the respiratory tract of people without causing disease, but when the respiratory tract is compromised by an infection such as influenza, the bacteria then invades the lungs , bloodstream , or brain and spinal cord . Activities like smoking can also disrupt the lining of the nose and throat and allow for pneumococcal infections and subsequent disease.
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People With Health Problems And The Pneumococcal Vaccine
The PPV vaccine is available on the NHS for children and adults aged from 2 to 64 years old who are at a higher risk of developing a pneumococcal infection than the general population.
This is generally the same people who are eligible for annual flu vaccination.
Youre considered to be at a higher risk of a pneumococcal infection if you have:
- a suppressed immune system caused by a health condition, such as HIV
- a suppressed immune system caused by medicines, such as chemotherapy or steroid tablets
- a cochlear implant Action on Hearing Loss has more information about cochlear implants
- had a leak of cerebrospinal fluid this could be the result of an accident or surgery
Adults and children who are severely immunocompromised usually have a single dose of PCV followed by PPV.
What To Do If Your Older Parent Or Relative Is Unwilling Or Unable To Get Vaccinated
Now, what if your older parent wont, or cant, get a flu shot?
Some older adults just dont want to get it. Here are some things you can try:
- Ask them to clarify what their concerns are. Its important to start by listening, in order to understand what an older person believes about the flu and the flu shot.
- Provide information to dispel myths and misunderstandings. Sometimes all people need is a little of the right kind of information.
- Point out that it can benefit an older persons family members and neighbors. Getting a flu shot can reduce the risk that we pass the flu on to another person. People are sometimes more willing to take action to protect others than to protect their own health.
- Make sure they know they wont have to pay for the flu shot. If you get the shot from a provider who takes Medicare, it shouldnt cost anything.
- Offer to go together to get your flu shots. Sometimes it helps to make it a family outing.
There are also some older adults for whom its hard to get a flu shot, such as people who are homebound or have very limited transportation options.
If this is your situation, the main thing to do is encourage flu shots for family and others coming to the house. For older adults who dont get out much, their main source of exposure to influenza and other dangerous viruses will be from those who come to them.
Above all, dont panic if your older loved one cant or wont get a flu shot.
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Signs Of Pneumonia Vaccine Side Effects
As with any vaccination, there are potential side effects of the pneumonia vaccination. Common side effects include:
Injection site soreness
As with most shots and vaccinations, you may experience pain, swelling, or redness at the injection site .
Less than 1% of people who receive a pneumonia vaccine develop a fever. If your temperature is above 100.4 F , you have a fever.
Irritability
Irritability is a feeling of agitation. When you’re feeling irritable, you’re more likely to become frustrated or upset. In children, this may present as fussiness.
Flu Vaccine For Frontline Health And Social Care Workers
If you’re a frontline health and social care worker, your employer should offer you a flu vaccine. They may give the vaccine at your workplace.
You can also have an NHS flu vaccine at a GP surgery or a pharmacy if:
- you’re a health or social care worker employed by a registered residential care or nursing home, registered homecare organisation or a hospice
- you work in NHS primary care and have direct contact with patients this includes contractors, non-clinical staff and locums
- you provide health or social care through direct payments or personal health budgets, or both
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Doctors Support The Change
Richard Watkins, MD, an infectious disease physician and a professor of internal medicine at the Northeast Ohio Medical University, tells Verywell that there was never any compelling evidence for the previous recommendation, adding, I am glad it has been changed.
Watkins says that the move may help more children get vaccinated, noting the convenience factor. Under the updated guidance, families only have to make one trip to get vaccinated instead of several under the previous recommendations, he says.
John Schreiber, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, tells Verywell that the changed guidance seems like a reasonable thing to do.
Schreiber anticipates that some parents may still be wary to give their children other vaccines at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine, but say that new recommendations are sound.
I dont have any concerns with this, Schreiber says. But, he adds, the CDC and AAP will monitor children to see what happens next. If it turns out that children are complaining about more side effects after getting vaccinated, Im sure the recommendations can be modified.”
The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page.