While getting vaccinated against influenza is important for everyone, the flu shot can have particular benefits for individuals with certain health conditions. As an infectious disease specialist recently told NPR:
“As we get older, more of us get heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, asthma. . . . Those diseases predispose us to complications of flu — pneumonia, hospitalization or death. We need to make vaccination a routine part of chronic health management.”
The article highlights the importance of flu vaccination for women who are pregnant as well, based on the fact that pregnancy makes expectant mothers, “more prone to complications and hospitalization if they contract the flu.”
Who Should Not Get the Annual Flu Shot?
While certain vaccines have several contradictions which may make it too risky for some individuals to receive an immunization, this is not the case with the annual flu shot. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the only people who definitively should not get the flu shot are:
- Children under six months of age (who are “too young to get a flu shot”); and,
- Children and adults who have severe and life-threatening allergies to flu vaccine ingredients.
Importantly, this list is separate from the CDC’s list of contradictions for the nasal spray flu vaccine. The CDC recommends against administration of the nasal spray flu vaccine for several more categories of people, including pregnant women, young children with asthma and people of all ages with weakened immune systems.
CDC Recommends Prioritization of Pregnant Women, People with Asthma and Others During Flu Season
Not only does the CDC recommend flu vaccination for pregnant women, people with asthma and people who have been diagnosed with certain other medical conditions, but it also recommends that these individuals be prioritized when flu shot supplies are limited. Specifically, individuals who are among those who should be prioritized include (but are not limited to):
- People with chronic pulmonary, cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, neurologic, hematologic ad metabolic disorders;
- People who are immunosuppressed due to taking medication or being diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV);
- Women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant during flu season; and,
- Women who have given birth within the past two weeks.
Spotting the Symptoms of a Flu Shot Injury
While it is important to be aware of the risks of contracting the flu, it is also important to be aware of the risks of experiencing a flu shot injury. Although the CDC advises that the risk of these injuries should not deter individuals from getting vaccinated in most cases, all vaccine recipients and parents should nonetheless learn how to spot the symptoms of a vaccine-related injury. To learn about the symptoms of some of the most-common conditions, you can read: Signs That You or a Loved One May Have a Vaccine Injury.
Contact National Vaccine Lawyer Leah V. Durant
Our firm provides nationwide legal representation for individuals and families who are coping with vaccine-related injuries and illnesses. If you or your child has been diagnosed with a flu shot injury, you may be entitled to compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). To discuss your legal rights with vaccine lawyer Leah V. Durant, please call 202-800-1711 or request a free initial consultation online today.
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.