Flu Vaccines

[minniebeth]

I've been seeing signs for this year's flu vaccine everywhere: at grocery stores, pharmacies, etc. I know it's getting to be around that time again, but my question is, is it too early to get it done? I thought the vaccine was effective for around 6 months and that would be a stretch to bring someone through the end of March, which around here, is still flu season.

Does anyone know if there is an anticipated shortage this year as in years past?

Thanks!!

 

[disney1990]

We never get our flu shots before late Sept or Oct. Now is too soon as far as I am concerned. They don't provide protection for more than about 6 months and it's not flu season yet. But, do remember that it takes about 2 weeks before they provide protection.

 

[wdwmom2]

I've been seeing signs for this year's flu vaccine everywhere: at grocery stores, pharmacies, etc. I know it's getting to be around that time again, but my question is, is it too early to get it done? I thought the vaccine was effective for around 6 months and that would be a stretch to bring someone through the end of March, which around here, is still flu season.

Does anyone know if there is an anticipated shortage this year as in years past?

Thanks!!

Haven't heard of any shortages, but you never know.

We have started giving the FluMist to kiddos that are coming in for their checkups. No FluMist only appointments yet. I believe that is suppose to start in September. The mist lasts for about 9 months. The shot lasts about 6 months.

We received 160 doses of the 0.5 flu vaccine today, and that is just the beginning. They ship it in installments. I guess the .25 will be arriving soon. We won't be giving flu "shots" until October. High risk are always scheduled first, for about 1 month, then it is open to everyone.


Just an FYI, because of the H1N1, and it being in this year's flu vaccine, it is recommended that anyone under the age of 9, who either didn't get H1N1 last year, or only got 1 dose, are recommended to get 2 doses this year.

 

[grafxgirl]

My kids had their FluMist vaccine this week. It takes 2 weeks to become effective so they should be good to go by the first week of Sept. They are created with a weakened live virus and last about 9 months. The doctors offices are trying to get the vaccines going now since schools have already started last week and this week in our district, and the flu is already being passed around among the kids.

 

[wdwmom2]

My kids had their FluMist vaccine this week. It takes 2 weeks to become effective so they should be good to go by the first week of Sept. They are created with a weakened live virus and last about 9 months. The doctors offices are trying to get the vaccines going now since schools have already started last week and this week in our district, and the flu is already being passed around among the kids.

I am only about 30 minutes away from you, haven't seen any cases yet. Sick calls in the office I work at are still pretty light. Usually, give it a couple weeks after school starts and things REALLY start to pick up!!!

 

[disfan07]

It takes about 2 weeks to become effective.
The flu is already starting to make its way around. I was at my internists office yesterday and I told he that after discussing it with my allergist, I will not be getting the flu shot this year. She told me that in the past 2 weeks (she only works 2 days/week) she has seen a huge uptake in the number of flu cases already.

She said that she wouldn't advise it wuite yet, but she said that she has been recommending that everyone gets it by around the second week of september. That means it will have taken full effect by october and will last until mid march.

 

[WDWorBUST]

I have already scheduled our companies flu shots for October 4th which is when we usually do them.

 

[SM81206]

wow didnt realize it was that time of the year, i feel like we just got our shots!

 

[minniebeth]

So I guess we are getting pretty close to it then. I think I will hold off a couple of weeks for myself and my DH though.
I guess I'll have to wait until my pediatrician's office schedules their clinic for my DDs. My older DD is high risk so she goes to the first called and she must have the vaccine, not the mist. I'll have to ask about what to do for my DD8, she was not vaccinated last year, since my older DD had H1N1 and was tested postive for it. When DD8 came down with the same symptoms, her dr. said let's assume she has it too. It was more mild than older DD that had it and she was treated with Tamiflu since she is high risk, but younger DD was not.
So I'm not sure if she, DD8 would need one or two doses?

 

[gate_pourri]

This is the first time I've heard that the flu shot is only effective for 6 months. I just tried to Google it, and, as I have always been told, everything I've read says that once you have the shot, "they should have developed immunity for life for that particular strain of flu included in the vaccine". The only problem is that strains can mutate and change, but that wouldn't change the Flu shot anyway. Whatever is in the Flu shot in September is there in January.

Does anyone know where this 6-month effectiveness can be verified? Thanks!

 

[wdwmom2]

Does anyone know where this 6-month effectiveness can be verified? Thanks!

This was what I found in the few minutes I had available to find the info. The full protection lasts for 6 months, then it diminishes.

My knowledge of it comes straight from the drug reps themselves.

Look under the heading "Why do I need to get vaccinated every year?"

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/flu-shots/ID00017

 

[golfgal]

We wait for as long as possible to get flu shots here. The flu spreads from the coasts inward so we generally don't see the flu here until Jan-Feb. One year we got our shots in late Nov just because of time issues and getting there (when you had to get them in the dr's office) and the flu hit late in the season. Most people that had gotten shots in Oct got the flu in late March, we did not.

 

[BethID]

I am an immunizing pharmacist. According to the CDC, there have not been any studies that show that flu shots are ineffective after 6 months. In fact, ACIP, which is the CDC's advisory panel on immunization practices, recommended in August that vaccination begin as soon as the 2010-11 vaccine is ready and continue throughout the season. The ACIP also is reccommending everyone 6 months and older to be vaccinated. Traditionally, most people seem to start getting their flu shots in October or November. Right now there does not seem to be any shortage, but things can change quickly.

 

[disney_mommy]

I can't believe the flu is already making the rounds. It's only August for pete's sake!

I'm lucky in that my office gives them out, but I'll have to take my DS to the doctor's office. He is also in the first round, which is nice. And I don't think I'll have to drag him in like usual. I'll just say, remember how bad you felt last year when you had the flu? One little shot will prevent that.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

I usually get mine at the end of September, and have never had an issue with effectiveness.

The only question I have is that the information I was given in advance of my yearly shot suggested that "Swine Flu" was not included, again, in this year's general vaccination.

The paper clearly says "Type A" H1N1 (which is regular flu), and Swine Flu was called "Novel" H1N1, which does not show as being included.

Was this an oversight, or, are we to assume that Swine Flu is not expected to be a problem and was not included?

 

[minniebeth]

And I don't think I'll have to drag him in like usual. I'll just say, remember how bad you felt last year when you had the flu? One little shot will prevent that.

After my girls had H1N1 last year, they said they will NEVER complain about getting the flu vaccine again!

I usually get mine at the end of September, and have never had an issue with effectiveness.

The only question I have is that the information I was given in advance of my yearly shot suggested that "Swine Flu" was not included, again, in this year's general vaccination.

The paper clearly says "Type A" H1N1 (which is regular flu), and Swine Flu was called "Novel" H1N1, which does not show as being included.

Was this an oversight, or, are we to assume that Swine Flu is not expected to be a problem and was not included?

All the advertisements I see around here say it's a combination of regular/H1N1. On the CDC website, it says this year's flu vaccine includes H3N2 virus, influenza B and H1N1. It's all Greek to me, I have no idea what's what.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

All the advertisements I see around here say it's a combination of regular/H1N1. On the CDC website, it says this year's flu vaccine includes H3N2 virus, influenza B and H1N1. It's all Greek to me, I have no idea what's what.

Yeah, last year they kept saying numbers, Types, letters, and I got it all confused. Maybe I'm thinking Type A is regular flu, and the sub-type is H1N1 (swine).

Doesn't really matter to me, since I'll get the shot anyway.

 

[disney_mommy]

After my girls had H1N1 last year, they said they will NEVER complain about getting the flu vaccine again!

We both suffered through it last year and we will both be getting the vaccine!

 

[sbell111]

I am an immunizing pharmacist. According to the CDC, there have not been any studies that show that flu shots are ineffective after 6 months. In fact, ACIP, which is the CDC's advisory panel on immunization practices, recommended in August that vaccination begin as soon as the 2010-11 vaccine is ready and continue throughout the season.

Thanks for mentioning this.

People misunderstand the issue when they state that flu vaccinations are only effective for a short period. In reality, a vaccinated person is protected against the specific flu viruses that were included in the vaccine for years. The problem is that the viruses change over time, not that the vaccine becomes ineffective over time.

Since they are not going to reformulate the seasonal vaccine between now and October, there is no reason to not get vaccinated right away.

 

[sbell111]

Yeah, last year they kept saying numbers, Types, letters, and I got it all confused. Maybe I'm thinking Type A is regular flu, and the sub-type is H1N1 (swine).

Doesn't really matter to me, since I'll get the shot anyway.

The following is from CDC's website:

What flu viruses are included in the seasonal vaccine for 2010-2011?
WHO recommended that the Northern Hemisphere's 2010–2011 seasonal influenza vaccine contain the following three vaccine viruses:
an A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)–like virus,
an A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)–like virus, and a
B/Brisbane/60/2008–like virus.

The U.S. FDA has also determined that 2010-11 influenza vaccines for the United States contain the same three vaccine viruses.

The H1N1 virus recommended for inclusion in the 2010-2011 seasonal influenza vaccine is a pandemic 2009 H1N1 virus and is the same vaccine virus as was used in the 2009 H1N1 monovalent vaccine.

In other words, the H1N1 vaccine in this years seasonal vaccine is last year's pandemic vaccine.