Preparing for the 2017-18 Flu Season

Even as many may be enjoying an early autumn heat wave, the changing leaves remind us that fall weather will soon arrive and with it, the beginning of cold and flu season.   Elderly adults can be especially vulnerable to severe illness from the flu virus and it is recommended that seniors receive a flu vaccine each year.  A high dose flu shot may offer more protection by creating a greater immune response in older people.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  immune defenses in older adults weaken with age; with a higher dose influence vaccine, older adults may have a better response offering more protection against the flu.   A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the high-dose flu shot was 24.2 per cent more effective at preventing the flu in people over the age of 65 than a standard dose vaccine.   Research has also found that high-dose vaccines may reduce hospital admissions among seniors, especially those living in long-term care facilities.

What’s the difference?

• A high-dose influence vaccine contains 4 times the amount of antigens of regular flu shot
• The higher dose is intended to create a stronger immune response in older people
• An intradermal flu vaccine is injected into the skin instead of the muscle using a much smaller needle than the regular shot and requires less antigen to be as effective.
• The flu vaccine with Adjuvant (trade name FLUAD) added may also help create a stronger immune response in adults over the age of 65

Because an estimated 80 to 90 per cent of seasonal flu-related deaths occur in seniors over the age of 65, it is important for older adults to get an annual flu shot and discuss with your doctor whether a high dose or enhanced vaccine are recommended.

With flu season right around the corner, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases recommends getting a flu vaccine before the end of October.   Delaying vaccination waiting for a high dose product to become available is not recommended; the first line of defense should be getting an annual flu shot early in the season.  The nasal spray flu vaccine is not recommended for use again this season because of concerns over it’s effectiveness.

To learn more about the 2017-18 flu season, follow this link to the CDC website.  Read  FluWatch weekly influenza reports in Canada here through the Government of Canada Public Health Services.