Phelans Flu Vaccination Service

Getting the flu vaccine is the best way to help protect yourself from getting the flu.

It will not stop all flu viruses and the level of protection may vary. So it’s not a 100% effective and you may still get flu.

But if you do get flu after you have the vaccine, it’s likely to be milder and you will recover more quickly.

Flu vaccines usually reduce the risk of infection by 40-60%.

Flu vaccines also reduce:

• the severity of illness
• complications from influenza
• flu-related hospitalisations
• admissions to critical care units

Flu vaccines have been given to millions of people worldwide for over 60 years, including pregnant women. Reactions to the vaccine are generally mild.

The most common side effects are mild and include soreness, redness or swelling where the injection was given. Headache, fever, aches, drowsiness and tiredness may occur. You may have mild sweating and shivering as your immune system responds to the vaccine. This is not flu and will pass in a day or so.

Serious side effects such as a severe allergic reaction are rare.

In very rare cases Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) has been reported (Guillain-Barré Syndrome is a condition that affects the nerves in the body. It causes nerve inflammation and can result in pain, numbness, muscle weakness and difficulty walking). However, the risk of GBS following flu is significantly greater than that following the flu vaccine.

You should not get the flu vaccine if you:

• have had a severe allergic (anaphylaxis) reaction to a previous flu vaccine or any part of the vaccine.
• are taking medicines called combination checkpoint inhibitors, for example, ipilimumab plus nivolumab
• have severe neutropoenia (low levels of a type of white blood cell) 
• are ill with a temperature greater than 38 degrees Celsius – you should wait until you are well before getting the vaccine.

If you have an egg allergy, you should talk to your GP before getting the vaccine. Most people with egg allergy can get the flu vaccine.

For the children’s nasal flu vaccine, there are additional reasons where the nasal flu vaccine would not be advised

Influenza (flu) is a very infectious illness caused by the flu virus. Flu spreads easily and infects both children and adults.

Children are more likely than adults to get severe complications of flu.

Children who are sick with flu miss days in crèche, childcare and school. They also miss out on their usual activities such as hobbies and sports.

The flu vaccine will help protect your child against flu and reduce the spread of flu to others. For example their brothers and sisters, parents and grandparents.

Children and young people aged 2 to 12 can get the nasal flu vaccine for free.

The vaccine is given as a single spray in each nostril of your child’s nose.

Your child can breathe normally while getting the vaccine. There is no need to take a deep breath or sniff.

The vaccine is not painful and is absorbed quickly. It will work even if your child has a runny nose, sneezes or blows their nose after the vaccination.

Most children need only 1 dose of the vaccine each year. Some children aged 2 – 8 years with chronic health conditions like chronic heart or lung conditions may need 2 doses if they have never had a flu vaccine. The doses are given 4 weeks apart.

Your child should not get the vaccine if they:

• have had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of the flu vaccine or any of its ingredients
• have severe asthma or if they have been wheezy or needed their inhaler more than usual in the 3 days before the vaccination
• are taking medicines called salicylates, which include aspirin
• have taken influenza antiviral medication within the previous 48 hours
• have a severely weakened immune system because of certain medical conditions or treatments
• are living with someone who has a severely weakened immune system  – for example, a person who has to live in insolation in the months following a bone marrow transplant
• have a condition which means they have a leak of the CSF (the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord)
• have severe neutropoenia (low levels of a type of white blood cell) 
• are on combination checkpoint inhibitors (e.g. ipilumumab plus nivolumab) which are used to treat cancer
• are pregnant

Your child may not be able to have the nasal flu vaccine if they have had a cochlear implant. The advice of the specialist looking after your child will be needed to see if your child can have the nasal flu vaccine.

Seek specialist advice if your child needs regular oral steroids or they have previously required ICU care for asthma.

If your child cannot have the nasal flu vaccine, you should speak to your GP or pharmacist about getting the vaccine as an injection.

The most common side effects are mild and include:

• a runny or blocked nose
• headache
• muscle aches
• tiredness
• loss of appetite 

Some children get a fever (temperature) after the vaccine. It is usually mild and goes away on its own.

If your child has a fever or a headache, you can give them paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Aspirin, or any medicines that contain aspirin, should never be given to children unless prescribed by a doctor.

This is especially important in the 4 weeks after getting the flu vaccine.

Serious side effects such as a severe allergic reaction are rare.

In very rare cases Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) has been reported (Guillain- Barré Syndrome is a condition that affects the nerves in the body. It causes nerve inflammation and can result in pain, numbness, muscle weakness and difficulty walking). However, the risk of GBS following flu is significantly greater than that following the flu vaccine.

There is no evidence that you can catch flu from the nasal flu spray.