Flu Vaccine information for the 2023/24 season

 

Flu Vaccine information for the 2023/24 season

Covid still seems to get the lion’s share of the attention, but the flu is not something that should be ignored. Influenza is one of the deadliest vaccine-preventable diseases.

Each year, the flu kills more children in the United States than meningitis and whooping cough combined. Flu can lead to serious complications such as bacterial pneumonia, ear infections and sinus infections. It can also worsen chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma or diabetes.

The flu is no joke. Even a mild case can be completely miserable. The aches, the coughing, the chills, that horrible feeling that you don’t want to be touched…nobody wants to get this.

In the heart of the Covid pandemic, we had a couple of years where the Influenza season was lighter than usual. It isn’t rocket science. When people avoid crowds, wear masks and wash their hands, things don’t spread as easily.

It is clear that once people relaxed cautious behavior, things went back to normal. Between October 1, 2022 and April 30th 2023 the CDC estimates that there were

27-54 million cases of flu. This led to 12-26 million doctor visits, 300,000-650,000 hospitalizations, and 19,000-58,000 deaths.

All of those positive behaviors such as handwashing, masking when in crowds... etc. are still important, but your best protection is to get a flu shot!

Getting the vaccine is not just about keeping you or your children from getting ill. It is also about minimizing spread within your family and community. It means protecting people who are vulnerable, including infants under 6 months who are too young to get the shot.

In addition, flu vaccines can reduce the burden of flu illnesses and hospitalizations, on our health care system. All of those health care workers need a break!

Kids can start getting the flu shot at 6 months. If you have a baby at home who is too young to get vaccinated, please take extra care to make sure that all the household contacts are protected so that you don’t bring the virus home. Pregnant and nursing moms can and should get the shot. Double check that you get the preservative free if you can.

Anyone who is under the age of nine, and is getting the flu vaccine for the very first time, needs to receive two doses of the vaccine in order to be considered fully protected. The first dose “primes” the immune system; the second dose provides immune protection. The two doses need to be separated by at least four weeks. Over the years I have seen patients who have had only their first shot come down with the flu. One dose will not fully protect them.

If your child has ever had more than two previous doses of any flu vaccine, they only need one this year. It takes about 2 weeks for the shot to take effect.

Every year the disease trackers do the best they can to predict which strains of the virus will circulate and try to match the flu vaccine to the anticipated strain. Some years have better matches than others. The experts are optimistic that this year is a pretty good match for avoiding severe illness.

A couple of things are different for the 2023-2024 influenza (flu) season:

The composition of flu vaccines for the U.S. 2023-2024 season will contain the following:

• Egg-based vaccines
• an A/Victoria/4897/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus; (Updated)
• an A/Darwin/9/2021 (H3N2)-like virus;
• a B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus; and
• a B/Phuket/3073/2013 (B/Yamagata lineage)-like virus.

The flu mist is another option that is approved for healthy, non-pregnant people between the ages of 2-49

When should you get the shot?

The flu shots usually become available in August. As soon as a baby turns 6 months old you can get them started with their first dose since they need two doses to be fully protected. 

For older kids and adults, late September and October are ideal times to get the shot. The protection lasts about 6 months. Most years the flu starts to really circulate in the winter months but be warned, Dr. Ted has already had some of his patients test positive!

In past years there have been some supply issues, but this year it seems that there is plenty to go around so far. Because it is impossible to predict possible delays and shortages with the supply, the safest way to prevent having an issue with a potential shortage is to get the shot by November.

Dr. Sophia Hurd, A UCSF physician at the Laurel Heights location says that the flu shot visit is a great time to get caught up on any other vaccines that your child might be missing. Most offices require appointments for shot visits.

Can you get the flu shot and Covid vaccine at the same time?

There may be a small benefit to separating them by at least several days, but if your busy schedule needs to get them taken care of at the same time, that is fine. Just make sure you get them in different arms (or legs).

What are the typical reactions?

Some shots are more painful than others. The flu shot is one that usually doesn’t hurt too much. When I worked at Noe Valley Pediatrics, I gave thousands of them and more often than not, the babies didn’t even fuss. Afterwards is a different story and soreness at the site can last for a few days. Every year, my own arm is always sore from the shot.

It can vary a bit from year to year, but most of the time the reactions to the flu shot are quite mild. It is common to have a low grade fever. Remember that a day or two of aches and a bit of fever is still better than a full-blown case of the flu.

What if my little one already has a cold?

A mild illness does not affect how well the body responds to a vaccine, so a mild illness is not reason to put it off.

What about egg allergies?

If your child has a mild to moderate egg sensitivity it is still considered okay to get the standard shot. 

Beginning this year with the 2023-2024 season, additional safety measures are no longer required for flu vaccination of people who have egg allergies. Of course, all vaccines should be administered in a setting where personnel and equipment needed for rapid recognition and treatment of allergic reactions are available.

It is important to keep a close eye on your child for at least 30 minutes after the shot. If they seem to be having any breathing issues or exceptional fussiness they should get checked out immediately.

If you have someone who has actually had an anaphylactic reaction in the past, talk to your doctor about some new options.

Tips for the immunization visit.

As I mentioned in last week's post, a little preparation ahead of time with either method can make a world of difference.

The flu mist is a nice option for kids over 2, but to tell you the truth, getting a 2 or 3 year old to cooperate with something being squirted in their nose can be more of a challenge than the 2 seconds it takes to do the injection. If you can practice with a little saline in the nose at home, you will have a much better chance for success. If you can’t get them to do this in the safety and comfort of your home, save yourself the trouble of trying in the office and just opt for the shot.

For the injection, get out the doctor's kit and do a little playing. There are also loads of little videos that you can watch in advance. I have one link here - Daniel Tiger gets a shot, but do some homework and see if you can find one that might resonate with your little one.

Make sure you give appropriate choices, such as which arm they want the bandaid on, or what kind of treat they might get. Dr. Hurd pops a gummy or piece of chocolate into her kids mouths right after the shots and they are a big fan. No fussing at all.

Be clear that whether or not to get the shot, is not one of the choices.

When you go in for the appointment it is helpful if your child is wearing short sleeves or clothes that will allow them easy access. Perhaps bring an ice pack with you and give yourself a bit more time for some icing in advance. 

You might also order a product called a Shot Blocker from Amazon and bring it with you. These little gizmos have helped a few of my ‘shot haters’ have an easier experience.

I have found that there is no age limit to people who are terrified of shots. Some parents are so upset by the sight of a needle that they can’t be in the room when their kids get vaccinated. If you are one of those, see if you have the option of having a partner be the adult on duty.

Wishing you all an influenza free year. Now call to make an appointment!

For frequently asked questions, here is a great resource from the CDC.