Is It True that I Shouldn’t Get a Flu Shot if I have an Egg Allergy?

In prior years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have advised that individuals who have egg allergies should consult with their physicians prior to getting the flu shot. This is because certain formulations of the flu shot are manufactured with egg proteins, and exposure to these proteins  has the potential to cause a hypersensitivity reaction among individuals with egg allergies.

In 2018, however, the CDC altered its recommendations regarding the flu shot and individuals who have minor egg allergies. Now, according to the CDC: Continue reading

CDC Publishes Updated Guide for Parents: “Your Child’s First Vaccines”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published an updated version of its guide for parents titled, Your Child’s First Vaccines: What You Need to Know. In addition to being posted on the CDC’s website, the guide is also available in .PDF format, and the CDC encourages doctors to provide parents with a copy of the guide when they bring their children in for their first immunizations. Continue reading

Should You Still Get a Flu Shot During the COVID-19 Crisis?

Among the many concerns raised by the COVID-19 crisis, one question many people have is whether they should still get their annual flu shot. The 2020-2021 flu season is here, and this is the time of year when many individuals and families visit their doctors, pharmacies and health departments to get vaccinated. Continue reading

How Will COVID-19 Impact the 2020-2021 Flu Season?

As the entire world anxiously awaits the arrival of a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19, flu season is now upon us as well, and that means it is time to start thinking about the annual flu shot. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided guidance for getting a flu shot during the COVID-19 crisis, and it has published a number of other resources related to the impacts of COVID-19 on the 2020-2021 flu season as well. Here are some of the highlights: Continue reading

Resources from World Immunization Week 2020

Each year, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes World Immunization Week during the last week of April. For 2020, the theme was #VaccinesWork for All, and the WHO focused its awareness campaign on, “how vaccines as well as the people who develop, deliver and receive them are . . . champions by working to protect the health of everyone, everywhere.” Continue reading

Can a Vaccine Cause Vasovagal Syncope?

Vasovagal syncope, a condition that results in fainting due to a sudden drop in heart rate and blood pressure, is a condition that has been linked to several of the standard vaccinations that are recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While only a very small percentage of vaccine recipients will experience vasovagal syncope as a result of their vaccinations, for those that do, the consequences can potentially be severe. Continue reading

When Should Pain Go Away After a Flu Shot?

Getting the annual flu shot provides important protection for you and those around you. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that, “[a] flu vaccine is the first and best way to reduce your chances of getting the flu and spreading it to others,” and it recommends that almost everyone six months of age and older get vaccinated against influenza each year.

The annual flu shot has a handful of potential side effects, but the CDC describes these side effects as “generally mild.” These side effects include, “[s]oreness, redness and/or swelling from the shot.” Continue reading

FAQs: Shoulder Pain and Vaccine Injury Compensation

Shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) is among the most common of all vaccine-related injuries and illnesses. This is due predominantly to the fact that they are caused by vaccination errors rather than vaccine ingredients, which means that all vaccines that are administered via injection into the shoulder have the potential to cause SIRVA. Here are answers to some frequently-asked questions about recovering financial compensation for SIRVA under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP): Continue reading

Flu Shot Recommendations for Pregnancy, Asthma and Other Medical Conditions

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.”

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CDC: Infant Flu Hospitalizations are Significantly Higher than Expected

According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infant flu hospitalizations in several countries are “at least double previous estimates.” Although the list of countries does not include the United States, the study nonetheless sheds light on some important considerations for health care providers and parents domestically. Continue reading