Flu Vaccine Options

1. The latest flu vaccines

According to the US CDC, available flu vaccines include:

- Standard-dose influenza vaccines are produced by growing the virus in eggs. Several different brands of standard-dose influenza vaccines are available, including afluria quadrivalent, fluarix quadrivalent, fluLaval quadrivalent, and fluzone quadrivalent. These vaccines are approved for use in children as young as 6 months old. Most flu shots are given by injection into the arm (muscle) with a needle (Afluria quadrivalent can be given by injection in children as young as 6 months old).

- Cell-based influenza vaccine (flucelvax quadrivalent) contains virus grown in cells, for use in people 6 months of age and older. This vaccine is completely egg-free.

- Recombinant influenza vaccine (flublok quadrivalent) is a completely egg-free influenza vaccine, produced using recombinant technology and used for people aged 18 years and older. This shot does not contain the virus but contains three times more antigens than other standard-dose inactivated influenza vaccines, helping to create a stronger immune response.

There are many types of flu vaccines available and they are updated every year.

- Fluzone high-dose quadrivalent, an egg-based influenza vaccine , is approved for use in people 65 years of age and older. It contains four times more antigen than standard-dose inactivated influenza vaccines, helping to produce a stronger immune response.

- Egg-based adjuvanted influenza vaccine (fluad quadrivalent), approved for people 65 years of age and older. This vaccine is made with an adjuvant (an ingredient that helps create a stronger immune response).

- The egg-based attenuated influenza nasal spray vaccine (flumist quadrivalent) is made from live attenuated influenza virus and is approved for use in people 2 through 49 years of age. This vaccine is not recommended for pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, or people with certain medical conditions.

2. Is there a best flu vaccine?

According to the CDC, certain flu vaccines are recommended for people 65 years of age and older. This recommendation is based on a review of available research showing that, in people over 65, these vaccines are more effective than standard-dose unadjuvanted flu vaccines. There is no recommendation for people under 65. Specifically:

- For people under 65 years of age, the CDC does not recommend any flu vaccine as the best option. Options for this age group include inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV), recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV), or live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV).

- For people aged 65 and older, there are three types of influenza vaccines that are recommended over the standard dose, unadjuvanted influenza vaccine. These are the high-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine fluzone, the quadrivalent recombinant influenza vaccine flublok, and the quadrivalent adjuvanted influenza vaccine fluad.

If none of the three recommended vaccines are available for people 65 years of age and older at the time of vaccination, people in this age group should receive any other age-appropriate influenza vaccine instead.

According to VNVC Vaccination Center, the specific dose and schedule of influenza vaccination for children and adults are as follows:

• Children 6 months of age and older and adults: Inject 0.5 ml dose.
• Children from 6 months to under 9 years old who have never had the flu or have never been vaccinated against the flu should get 2 shots. The second shot should be at least 1 month after the first shot. Then, a booster shot should be given once a year.
• Children over 9 years old and adults get 1 injection. Then get a booster shot once a year.

The flu vaccine does not work immediately, it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against influenza infection. That is why it is best to get vaccinated before the flu virus starts to spread in the community.

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/cac-lua-chon-ve-vaccine-phong-cum-172240326225225844.htm