Each year the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices creates updated guidelines for the flu vaccine.

This flu season, the CDC is not recommending the use of the nasal spray vaccine which utilized a live virus. The CDC now recommends use of a flu shot (inactivated influenza vaccine) and the recombinant influenza vaccine (not made with a virus).

St. James Parish Hospital’s Clinics will offer the Quadrivalent Flu Vaccine. Previously, flu vaccines were designed to protect against three different flu viruses (Trivalent). The restructured vaccine aims to give broader protection against circulating flu viruses.

In addition, the CDC has updated flu vaccination warnings for people with egg allergies. If you are someone with a history of egg allergy who has experienced only hives after exposure, you can get any licensed flu vaccine that is otherwise appropriate for your age/health and you no longer have to be monitored for a specific amount of time.

People who have severe egg allergies can still be vaccinated but should get the shot in a medical setting under supervision of a health care provider who is able to recognize and manage severe allergic conditions.

Vaccination FLUkes from the CDC 

A flu shot can give you the flu — FALSE.

The vaccine is made either with viruses that have been ‘inactivated’ and are therefore not infectious or with no flu vaccine viruses at all (recombinant vaccine).

The most common side effects from the flu shot are soreness, redness, tenderness and/or swelling where the shot was administered. Low-grade fever, headache and muscle aches may also occur one to two days after the shot.

It is better to get the flu than the flu vaccine — FALSE.

Flu can be a serious disease, particularly among young children, older adults and people with certain chronic health conditions. Acquiring the flu can carry a risk of serious complications, hospitalization or death, even among otherwise healthy children and adults. Therefore, getting vaccinated is a safer choice than risking illness.

You can skip a year and still be fully protected — FALSE.

The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for nearly everyone 6 months and older, even when the viruses the vaccine protects against have not changed from the previous season. A person’s immune protection from vaccination declines over time, so an annual vaccination is needed to get the “optimal” or best protection against the flu.

Your Best SHOT

The most effective means of reducing your risk of the flu is to get a flu shot. According to the CDC, the flu vaccine reduces the odds of getting the flu by 70 to 90 percent. Flu season is typically October 1st through March 31st and the vaccination is available through the hospital’s flu fair and/or primary care clinics during this time.

Flu Shot Fair

By hosting a Flu Shot Fair during the month of October, we make getting vaccinated easy and convenient. From 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every Wednesday and Friday from Oct. 5 through Oct. 28, flu shots will be offered in the medical plaza (community education room) located next to St. James Parish Hospital.

The hospital is also offering expanded evening options throughout October. Patients who cannot attend during the day, can choose to get their vaccinations during normal Urgent Care Hours.

St. James Urgent Care is open from 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Patients are reminded to bring their insurance cards. Uninsured patients can receive the vaccination for $30. From educational events to free screenings and flu shot fairs, we are committed to the health of our community.

Mary Ellen Pratt is St. James Parish Hospital CEO. She can be reached at info@sjph.org.