CDC Releases FAQs for the 2019-2020 Flu Season

The 2019-2020 flu season is here. Each flu season, well over 100 million Americans get vaccinated, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that, on average, the flu shot protects 40 to 60 percent of recipients against infection annually.

5 Highlights from the CDC’s 2019-2020 Flu Season FAQs

For individuals and parents who have questions about the annual flu shot, the best thing to do is to consult with your physician. However, the CDC has also published answers to a number of frequently-asked questions (FAQs) about the flu vaccine for the 2019-2020 flu season. Here are some of the highlights:

1. Options Are Available for Individuals with Egg Allergies

In prior years, the method of producing certain forms of the influenza vaccine has caused the flu shot to be potentially dangerous for individuals with egg allergies. For the 2019-2020 flu season, the CDC reports that, “[a]ll four of the vaccine viruses used to produce cell-grown flu vaccine will have been grown in cells, not eggs.” As a result, while the CDC is maintaining its standard recommendations for individuals with egg allergies, these individuals have options for getting immunized against the flu.

2. The CDC is Not Predicting How Widespread the Flu Will Be

Despite continuing advances in epidemiological science and technology, the CDC is still unable to provide a prediction for how widely the flu virus is likely to spread. The CDC’s 2019-2020 flu season FAQs simply state: “Influenza is unpredictable. While flu spreads every year, the timing, severity, and length of the season varies from one season to another.”

3. The CDC Recommends Vaccination Against the Flu by the End of October

The CDC and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) are recommending that health care providers stock the flu vaccine by the end of October. This is so that members of the public can receive their flu shots by the end of October as well, as flu season tends to peak during the winter months. With regard to children who need two doses of the flu shot, the CDC recommends:

“Children 6 months through 8 years of age who need 2 doses should receive their first dose as soon as possible after vaccine becomes available to allow the second dose (which must be administered at least 4 weeks later) to be received by the end of October.”

4. It is Possible to Get the Flu Shot Too Early

In addition to recommending vaccination by the end of October, the CDC is also warning that some people may have gotten the flu shot too early: “Vaccinating early – for example, in July or August – may lead to reduced protection against influenza later in the season, particularly among older adults.”

5. The Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine has been Re-Approved for the 2019-2020 Flu Season

The CDC has re-approved the nasal spray flu vaccine for the 2019-2020 flu season. Despite the nasal spray’s lack of effectiveness during prior seasons, the CDC has decided to approve the nasal spray this year based on a revised formulation that is expected to be more effective, and the CDC is not recommending the flu shot over the nasal spray: “There is no expressed preference for any flu shot or the nasal spray vaccine.”

Pain After Flu Shot? Call the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC

Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC is a national law firm that represents individuals diagnosed with vaccine-related injuries and illnesses. If you are experiencing pain after a flu shot (or any other symptom of a vaccine injury or illness), we encourage you to call 202-800-1711 or contact us online for a free consultation about your legal rights under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP).

Leah Durant Bio

Experienced litigation attorney Leah Durant focuses on representing clients in complex vaccine litigation matters. Leah Durant is the owner and principal attorney of the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, a litigation firm based in Washington, DC. Leah Durant and her staff represent clients and their families who suffer from vaccine-related injuries, adverse vaccine reactions and vaccine-related deaths. The Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC is dedicated to assisting individuals in recovering the highest level of compensation as quickly and efficiently as possible. To learn more, contact vaccine attorney Leah Durant today.