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Influenza Vaccine

This page was reviewed or revised on Monday, January 31, 2011 10:42 AM

Community Flu Shot Clinics

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What is Influenza?

Influenza (commonly known as "the flu") is a serious respiratory infection that is caused by the influenza virus.

People who get influenza may have a fever, chills, cough, runny eyes, stuffy nose, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, extreme weakness and fatigue. Children can also have earaches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Note: The elderly may not have a fever.

How serious is the flu?

Illness due to the flu usually lasts 2 to 7 days; sometimes longer in the elderly and in people with chronic health conditions. The cough and fatigue can last for several weeks.

In the past, seasonal flu has resulted in approximately 19,000 hospitalizations every year in Ontario, as well as 300 deaths annually.

How do I get the flu?

The flu is spread easily through coughing, sneezing or touching contaminated surfaces or objects like unwashed hands, toys and eating utensils.

How can I prevent the flu?

The flu shot is your best defence against the flu virus. The vaccine can prevent influenza illness in about 70%-90% of healthy children and adults.

Because the influenza virus changes often, it is necessary to get a seasonal flu shot every year for protection.

In addition to the flu shot, there are other ways to boost your protection:

• Wash hands often
• Keep alcohol-based hand sanitizer handy at home, in your car, etc.
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve.
• Keep surfaces and items disinfected.
• Eat a balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables. Many fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that help you fight illness.
• If you have any flu-like symptoms, stay home until you feel better. This includes children attending daycare and school, adults at work, and relatives visiting older adults in hospitals and long-term care homes.

Can the flu shot give me the flu?

No. The flu shot does not contain live virus so you cannot get the flu from the vaccine.

What are the risks of the flu shot?

The flu shot, like any medicine, is capable of causing side effects. The risk of the vaccine causing serious harm is extremely small. Most people who get the vaccine have either no side effects or mild side effects such as:

• Soreness, redness or swelling at the spot where you received the vaccine
• A fever or muscle aches that may last for 1-2 days

Life-threatening allergic reactions are very rare. If they do occur, it is usually within a few minutes to a few hours after receiving the vaccine. People are asked to stay at the clinic for 15 minutes after getting their shot, just to be sure. Health care providers at the clinic are trained to monitor and treat these possible reactions.

Signs of an allergic reaction include:

• Hives or an itchy rash
• Swelling of the mouth or throat
• Trouble breathing, hoarseness or wheezing
• Pale skin colour, weakness, fast heart beat or dizziness

What is Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)

GBS is a very uncommon disease characterized by sudden onset of weakness or muscle paralysis. GBS has been reported rarely following influenza vaccination. The risk of getting GBS from the flu is higher than getting GBS from the flu shot. Overall, the risk of GBS occurring in association with immunization is small. In comparison to the small risk of GBS, the risk of illness and death associated with influenza is much greater.

If you experience unusual reactions to the flu shot, please contact your health care provider or call the Community Health Services Department.

Who SHOULD get the flu shot?

Everyone 6 months of age and older can benefit from receiving the flu shot each year!

HIGH RISK Groups:

• Adults (including pregnant women) and children with chronic health conditions
• Residents of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities
• People 65 years of age or older
• Children 6 months to 4 years of age
• Healthy pregnant women (especially in third trimester)
• Severely obese persons (BMI ≥ 40)
• Aboriginal peoples
• People capable of transmitting influenza to those at high risk
• Health care and other care providers
• Household contacts of: individuals at high risk, infants under 6 month of age an expected newborn during the influenza season.
• Those providing child care to children under 24 months of age
• Those who provide services within closed settings to persons at high risk
• People in direct contact with avian-influenza infected poultry during culling operations

Who should NOT get the flu shot?

• Children under 6 months of age
• People with a severe allergy to eggs (an ingredient used to make the vaccine)
• People with a severe allergy to any component of the vaccine.
• Anyone who had a serious allergic reaction to a previous dose of the influenza vaccine
• Anyone who developed GBS within 8 weeks of a previous influenza immunization should avoid influenza immunization in the future.
• Anyone with a moderate to severe acute illness with fever should usually wait until the symptoms subside before being immunized.
• However, people with a minor illness with or without a fever (e.g. a cold) could still get the influenza vaccine

What is the difference between the common cold and the flu?

Colds, stomach flu and other viral infections are often confused with the flu but they are caused by viruses different from the flu virus.

Adapted from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care