The influenza vaccine has a tremendous impact on society’s health. However, many have doubts about the flu shot’s effectiveness and questions about which vaccine is better or more convenient for them and their loved ones. Differences between the vaccines are based on the patient and the variants of the influenza virus found in the environment. These variants change every year due to different environmental and population characteristics or according to the hemisphere in which we find ourselves.
According to a 2018 CDC study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, the percentage of the U.S. population that becomes ill with influenza is approximately 8 percent, ranging from 3 percent to 11 percent, depending on the season.
In order to know which vaccine is best for us, it is necessary to take into account different factors. These include age and whether they have a tendency or history of being allergic to vaccines made from eggs. There are many flu vaccines to choose from, but the most important thing is for everyone 6 months of age and older to get a flu shot every year. Traditionally, influenza vaccines have been made from viruses grown in chicken eggs, although egg-free vaccines have been developed in recent years.
Learn about the different types of vaccines available in the United States:
- Standard-dose flu vaccine, which is made with flu viruses that are inactivated or killed. Many standard-dose flu vaccines that use viruses grown in eggs are approved for use in people aged 6 months and older and usually given through a needle injection in the arm muscle.
- Cell-based flu vaccine, an injectable egg-free vaccine that is made through virus grown in mammalian cell culture. This type of vaccine can be given to people who are aged 6 months and up.
- Recombinant flu vaccine, an injectable egg-free vaccine that is synthetically made. Recombinant flu vaccines can be used in people who are 18 years of age and older.
- Adjuvanted flu vaccine, which includes an additional ingredient (an adjuvant) designed to increase, broaden and lengthen the immune response to the vaccine. Adjuvanted flu vaccines are injectable and approved for use in people who are aged 65 years and up.
- High-dose flu vaccine, which features a higher amount of antigen than standard-dose flu vaccines; in this context, antigens are the part of the vaccine that helps the body build up an immune response. Like adjuvanted flu vaccines, high-dose flu vaccines are injectable and specifically approved for use in people aged 65 years and older.
- Live attenuated flu vaccine, which contains a weakened flu virus and is given through a nasal spray. People aged 2 to 49 years old can receive this vaccine, but some (for example, those who are pregnant or immunocompromised) should not get it.
Vaccination for the prevention of influenza and its possible serious complications is especially important for people at higher risk for influenza illness complications. In addition, vaccination prevents getting the flu during flu season. This is where the importance of vaccination lies: to protect ourselves and our loved ones.
If you have questions about which vaccine is best for you, ask your doctor or your health care professional. More information is available on influenza vaccines approved for the 2021-2022 influenza season and age-appropriate indications for each vaccine. For more information, visit cdc.gov/flu.
Source:
https://espanol.cdc.gov/flu/about/keyfacts.htm
https://espanol.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/flushot.htm
https://theconversation.com/por-que-existen-diferentes-vacunas-contra-la-gripe-151703
https://www.flu.com/Articles/2022/Overview-of-Flu-Vaccine-Types
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