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GET TO KNOW

YOUR SEASONAL FLU VACCINES

During cold and flu season, vaccines are a popular news topic. But did you know there are two forms of flu vaccines that may be offered to protect against the seasonal flu? Learn the difference so you can make an informed decision if you decide that getting vaccinated is appropriate for you or your family this flu season.

 

The “Flu Shot”
This is an inactivated flu vaccine (containing a killed virus) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. The flu shot is approved for use in people older than 6 months, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).1

The Nasal-Spray Flu Vaccine
This is a flu vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses that do not cause the flu (sometimes called LAIV for “live attenuated influenza vaccine” or FluMist®2). LAIV (FluMist) is approved for use in healthy people 2 to 49 years of age who are not pregnant, according to the CDC.1

What Do the Flu Vaccines Have in Common?
The seasonal flu vaccine protects against three influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season. About two weeks after vaccination, antibodies that provide protection against influenza virus infection develop in the body.1

If you receive a flu vaccine this year, next year you’ll be due for a new flu vaccine, because the viruses in a vaccine change each year based on international observation and scientists’ estimations about which strains of viruses will circulate that year.

Talk to your doctor or healthcare professional to find out whether getting a flu vaccine is appropriate for you or your family.

1
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Seasonal Influenza (Flu)—Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/Flu/protect/keyfacts.htm. Accessed on 5 April 2011.
2
FluMist® is a registered trademark of MedImmune.