Flu vaccines are in!

Written by: Dr. Marcia Whalen

Our yearly supplies of flu vaccines are coming in!  Please give us a call at (949) 706-3300 or contact us via this website to schedule an appointment.

Who Should Consider the Flu Vaccine This Year?

Infants and children 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine each year for  the 2011-2012 influenza season. CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted for “universal” flu vaccination  last year in the U.S. to expand protection against the flu to more people.

Potential High-Risk Groups:  While everyone should get a flu vaccine each flu season, it’s especially important that the following groups get vaccinated either because they are at high risk of having serious flu-related complications or because they live with or care for people at high risk for developing flu-related complications:

• Pregnant women
• Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
• People 50 years of age and older
• People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
• People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
• People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:   Health care workers, household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu, household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)

Vaccines We Have Available:

• Flu shot — an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle, sometimes a micro needle, in the arm. The flu shot is approved for use in people 6 months of age and older, including healthy people, people with chronic medical conditions, and pregnant women.
• Nasal-spray flu vaccine — a vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses that do not cause the flu (sometimes called LAIV for “live attenuated influenza vaccine” or FluMist®). LAIV is approved for use in healthy* people 2-49 years of age who are not pregnant.
• High dose Fluzone –  sometimes indicated for 65 years of age and older

* “Healthy” indicates persons who do not have an underlying medical condition that predisposes them to influenza complications.