Immune System Archives

Flu Vaccines: Everything You Need to Know

09/01/2023

Flu season is almost here and let’s face it — no one has time for sniffles and coughs. Save yourself the time and suffering. You have the power to protect yourself and the ones you love from influenza and as your trusted health resource, we are here to help you do just that. Here is everything you need to know about getting vaccinated against the flu:

How do flu vaccines work?

Vaccines train our immune systems to create proteins called antibodies, which are responsible for fighting diseases in our bodies.¹ When we get the flu vaccine, our bodies are exposed to a version of the flu that has been already killed or weakened. This helps our immune system create antibodies to fight the flu without getting sick.

Once the body processes the vaccine and produces antibodies, it also creates antibody-producing memory cells, which remain alive even after the flu is defeated. If the body is exposed again, the antibody response is faster and more effective than the first time around because the memory cells are ready to pump out antibodies in defense.¹

Getting vaccinated for the flu goes far beyond just protecting yourself. Vaccinations work at their best when we develop herd immunity. This is when many people within a community are vaccinated, lessening the flu’s spread and preventing people that are unable to vaccinate from getting sick.¹ The more people get vaccinated, the more we can keep our communities healthy.

How effective are flu vaccines?

Flu vaccination can reduce the risk of flu illness by up to 60%, however, how well the flu vaccines protect us against the flu varies from season to season. Protection not only varies depending on characteristics of the person getting vaccinated such as age and overall health.² The effectiveness of flu vaccines each year heavily depends on how well they match with the flu viruses spreading throughout the community.³ Flu viruses change quickly, meaning the vaccine created for last year’s virus may not protect you from the flu viruses this year. The more the flu vaccine matches circulating flu viruses, the better protection we have against getting the flu. If you still get sick even if you received a flu vaccine, flu vaccination has been shown to reduce the severity of the virus. For example, a 2021 study found that vaccinated adults hospitalized with the flu had a 26% lower risk of being admitted to intensive care units and a 31% lower risk of death compares to unvaccinated adults.²

Who should get the flu vaccine?

Annual flu vaccinations are recommended for everyone 6 months or older, but vaccinations are especially important for those at high risk for flu-related complications:⁴

Children ages 6 months – 2 years old
Adults older than age 50
Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
People who are pregnant or plan to be pregnant
People with weakened immune systems
People who have chronic illnesses, such as asthma, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, and diabetes
People with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher

While everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine, there are some rare exceptions:⁵

Children younger than 6 months of age are too young to get a flu shot.
People with severe, life-threatening allergies to any ingredient in a flu vaccine (other than egg proteins) should not get that vaccine. This might include gelatin, antibiotics, or other ingredients.
People who have had a severe allergic reaction to a dose of influenza vaccine should not get that flu vaccine again and might not be able to receive other influenza vaccines. If you have had a severe allergic reaction to an influenza vaccine in the past, it is important to talk with your healthcare provider to help determine whether vaccination is appropriate for you.

When should you get your flu shot?

In the United States, flu season is in the fall and winter. However, influenza viruses are still present and circulating year-round. Flu cases generally peak between December and February and sometimes linger as late as May.

With this in mind, flu vaccination is ideal during September or October.⁴ Vaccinating sooner could lead to waning efficacy near the end of flu season in spring. However, don’t wait too long to get your flu shot either as it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body to fully protect against the flu.³

We highly encourage you to talk with our team or your healthcare provider about any additional questions or concerns you may have about flu vaccines. You have the power to protect yourself and the ones you love from influenza by getting your annual flu shot! https://sinkspharmacy.com/services/#immunizations

Sources:

Know EVERYTHING for Flu Season? Think Again

09/01/2022

Kids are heading back to school, fall is almost here (along with everything pumpkin), and that can only mean one thing: It’s time to start talking about flu season again. The flu virus doesn’t usually start circulating until the end of the year, but it’s important to get vaccinated in the fall to give your body time to learn how to fight off the disease if exposed.

There is a lot of information at our fingertips, and not all of it is correct…and even when we find the right sources, it can be hard to sort through all that info to figure out what is correct for what our symptoms are and how to treat whatever it is we caught. If you have questions about the flu or any other illness you may be experiencing as we head into flu season, make sure you are turning to trusted healthcare providers for your answers.

man getting flu shot from pharmacist

Is it true that the flu…?

There are more flu myths out there than we can easily count, and that was BEFORE medical misinformation began to spread on social media like wildfire. We’ve rounded up just a few popular ones here to debunk.

Is it true that I can get the flu from getting the flu shot? ¹

No! Flu vaccine given with a needle are inactive (killed) while nasal spray is live; the live vaccine has been weakened to the point it cannot cause an infection. After getting the vaccine, you may experience some flu-like symptoms. This is your body learning how to fight off the real disease by encountering the vaccine in your system. You can also still get the flu after getting vaccinated (but the vaccine often makes it less severe); this is especially true in the two weeks after getting your shot as your body takes some time to reach maximum immunity.

Is it true that I shouldn’t get the flu shot if I’m pregnant? ¹

No! Pregnant women actually have a higher risk of having complications if they contract the flu, meaning that getting vaccinated is even more important. On top of that, the vaccine can help protect the baby as well for several months after birth. Since babies cannot get a flu shot until they are 6 months, passing the antibodies from mother to baby is a great measure of protection if they are too young to receive a vaccine during peak flu season.

If you are pregnant, you should only get the vaccine via a shot, not the nasal spray.

Is it true that I don’t need to get a flu shot every year? ²

No! With a few rare exceptions, the CDC recommends that everyone older than 6 months should get a flu shot every year. There are a couple of main reasons for this. First, the efficacy of the vaccine — how well the vaccine works to prevent the disease it’s meant to fight — decreases over time. This is also why we recommend you get your flu shot ideally between September and early November.

The second factor is that the flu virus changes over time (similar to how COVID-19 has changed over the last couple years). The vaccine is made based on which strains look like they will be the most widespread for that year, and the strain that was spreading last year may not be the popular one this year.

Not seeing your question? Have more questions from this? Come by and talk to our team – we’re always here to help you get the answers you need.

I don’t feel good – what do I have?

Anyone who has Googled symptoms knows that it can be hard to narrow in on what you actually have. We know that not every symptom is cancer, despite that seeming the case when we look online. It’s important to not only learn the symptoms of diseases that are in your area but also learn the timing and what is NOT a symptom so you can get better treatment.

Flu vs. COVID-19 ³

Symptoms of COVID-19 have changed over time to resemble the symptoms of influenza more closely. These shared symptoms include:

Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Sore throat
Runny or stuffy nose
Muscle pain or body aches
Headache
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Change in or loss of taste or smell (more common with COVID-19 than flu)

Flu symptoms appear sooner after exposure on average than COVID-19 symptoms; someone infected with the flu usually starts having symptoms between 1 and 4 days after infection; COVID-19 symptoms, meanwhile, typically show up within 2 to 14 days after being exposed. Both viruses can also have asymptomatic cases, where people are infected but don’t get sick or show symptoms of the infection.

While both viruses have many shared possible complications (pneumonia, sepsis, heart attack, and more), there are some differences, too. The flu is more associated with secondary bacterial infections (getting an infection from something else when the immune system is weakened from the flu) than COVID-19; blood clots and multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C and MIS-A) are more common with COVID-19, and symptoms can linger much longer (now often called Long COVID) than flu symptoms do.

Both viruses have vaccines that work to protect you from infection or serious complications. COVID-19 vaccines can be received at any time of the year (on the appropriate vaccine schedule) while flu shots are recommended in the fall to offer the best protection when flu season arrives. There are also many tests available for both, so if you think you have one of these…get tested and get answers.

Flu vs. Stomach Flu ⁴

Despite sharing part of a name, the seasonal flu and the stomach flu have very little in common. The stomach flu (like the name suggests) affects the stomach. It is highly contagious and can be spread from person to person or by eating contaminated foods.

If you are experiencing diarrhea, stomach pain, and vomiting, there’s a good chance you’ve got the stomach flu. There isn’t any vaccine or treatment, but you can help relieve symptoms by drinking clear liquids, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and staying away from dairy, fiber, grease, and spices. The stomach flu can be contracted any time of the year.

If you have a sore throat, fever, muscle aches, or a cough, however, you may have influenza. The seasonal flu affects the respiratory system and DOES have a vaccine that can help prevent serious infection. Though there can be influenza viruses circulating year-round, usually flu season is during the winter.

Flu vs. Cold vs. Allergy ⁵

Even before COVID-19, it was sometimes hard to tell if you had the flu or if you had a cold or if it was just allergies. They all affect the respiratory system and share many symptoms. Flu and cold generally have the most overlap, but flu symptoms tend to be more plentiful and more severe than cold symptoms. The symptoms are a sign of your body trying to fight off the infection, and they generally last as long as the infection does.

Allergies, meanwhile, are not because of an infection; instead, they are your immune system fighting off some external substances that you’ve been exposed to and your body thinks is dangerous to you. The symptoms are the immune system’s overreaction to the exposure, and they will last as long as the exposure does. This can be several weeks if the pollen count is high; it could be just hours, however, if it’s caused by a brief interaction with a neighbor’s dog.

* Click to view full-size image. Table via NIH News in Health: https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2014/10/cold-flu-or-allergy

Because there is so much overlap in actual symptoms, it’s important to pay extra attention to the labels of any medicine you take. The active ingredients of many drugs overlap, so it is easy to get too much of one ingredient if you aren’t careful. There can also be interactions between different drugs used to treat the cold, flu, and allergies; if you are ever unsure of what to take or how much to take, talk to our pharmacy team! Visit our immunizations section for current offerings and availability.

Sources:

¹ https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/top-seven-flu-myths-debunked

² https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/misconceptions.htm

³ https://www.cdc.gov/flu/symptoms/flu-vs-covid19.htm

⁴ https://www.gohealthuc.com/library/influenza-vs-stomach-flu

⁵ https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2014/10/cold-flu-or-allergy

The 5 Ws and 1H of Vaccines

08/01/2022

Vaccines are in the news now more than ever, with COVID-19 shining a spotlight on the importance of immunizations in preventing the spread of disease. But in recent years, there has also been more resistance than in years past against getting vaccinated. Between the COVID-19 pandemic interrupting normal vaccination schedules and the growing fear and misinformation surrounding many, if not all, vaccines, society has taken one step forward in innovation…and two steps back in community inoculation. To continue protecting ourselves and our communities, let’s take a moment to understand the 5Ws (and 1H!) of vaccines.

woman getting vaccine in arm

How do vaccines work?

Think of a vaccine-preventable disease as a timed math test that your body has to take, and your immune system is the tools used, like a pencil and calculator. If the test is on a completely new concept and you never studied for it, you could pass the test…but it’d be pretty tough to do. And if your immune system isn’t strong or if you have other conditions that get in the way (for the analogy, you don’t have a calculator and your pencil doesn’t have an eraser) that makes passing even harder.

Now think of the vaccine as your homework. The homework shows you more than just the answer to the problem — it shows you how to solve the problem. The homework is a simpler version than the test is so that you can understand the basics before moving onto more advanced work. It also helps you build the confidence to solve the harder problem quickly when it counts.

If you do the prep homework, there’s no guarantee that you’ll pass the graded test. But the homework gives you a much better chance of passing with flying colors, especially if you’ve got the handicap of no calculator. And even if you don’t ace the test, you could still get a passing grade.

Similarly, a vaccine doesn’t guarantee that you won’t get sick from exposure to the disease, but it does better your chances of recovering. The vaccine can help the illness symptoms be less severe and the results less deadly. By teaching your body to recognize and make antibodies in response to the vaccine, a less threatening version of the disease, you’re setting your immune system up to be able to fight off the full thing if needed.

Who should get vaccinated?

In general, anyone who can get vaccinated should get vaccinated. There are some vaccines that are not recommended in certain age groups or situations. Shingles vaccine, for instance, is not recommended for healthy adults under the age of 50, and the chickenpox vaccine shouldn’t be given to pregnant people. On the flip side, there are some vaccines that are especially recommended during pregnancy. The flu vaccine and Tdap antibodies from the mother will be passed along to the newborn if she is vaccinated while pregnant. This transfer protects babies from the disease when they are still too young to receive the vaccine themselves.

By getting vaccinated if you can, you are protecting the people who can’t get the immunizations. There are several factors that can prevent a person from getting the vaccine beyond not meeting the age or condition requirement. This could include an allergy to an ingredient or a weakened immune system that can’t fight off even minor reactions as the body learns to recognize the infection and form antibodies.

Why should I get vaccinated?

Are you tired of dealing with the spread of rubella? Worried about the crippling effects of polio? Missing too many days of work because of a diphtheria outbreak? Thanks to vaccines, the answer to all of these is generally no. There are many contagious, draining, and even fatal diseases that have been practically eliminated in many parts of the world through vaccines.

But as vaccines have become more misunderstood in recent years, we have seen an increase in cases of diseases that had previously been approaching eradication. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many people fell behind in regular health check-ups; this caused many people’s vaccine schedules to fall behind.

As more people miss or pass on vaccines, the less we as a society are protected from the full disease. Very few diseases have been eradicated, which means that they can make a comeback if protections aren’t in place. Vaccines aren’t 100 percent effective, but they can still lessen the impact of the disease. Further, the times where the vaccine does work completely helps stop the spread of the disease to others who may not be able to get vaccinated or fight off the infection with or without the vaccine.

What vaccines should I get?

There are a lot of vaccines out there, and it can be hard to keep track of which one should be administered when — and that’s before factoring in new developments to improve protection or to address new diseases (like COVID-19). That’s where a vaccination schedule comes into play.

The schedule is especially full for children. The first vaccination schedule was officially established in 1995, but the basis for the recommendations began back in the mid-1800s when Massachusetts public schools required vaccination against smallpox. Today, there are 11 different vaccines that are recommended for babies 0 to 15 months; some of these vaccines require multiple doses over several months or even years.

As children grow into teenagers, it’s easier to fall behind in vaccinations simply due to less wellness check appointments. While it’s hard to miss seeing a flu shot reminder, other immunizations are easier to overlook. Some of these immunizations are boosters of what was received as a small child, like the Tdap vaccine. Others, like the meningococcal and human papillomavirus vaccines, are recommended to start in the early teenage years. Without vaccination, these bacterial and viral infections can have serious consequences if contracted, including but not limited to brain damage, loss of limbs, cancer and death.

Beyond 18 years of age, there isn’t a set schedule recommended, but that doesn’t mean that adults don’t need vaccines anymore. Continuing to get the annual flu shot and the tetanus boosters at the recommended interval is important, as is staying up to date on new vaccines that come out.

There are a handful of vaccines that are recommended specifically for adults. The shingles vaccine is recommended for those 50 years or older. The pneumococcal vaccine is recommended for those 65 or older. Both also have several health conditions that would lead to a younger person getting the vaccine.

Keep in mind that these vaccines are all for disease prevention within the United States. If you are traveling, there are additional vaccines that are recommended if not required. Some countries require travelers to be vaccinated against yellow fever before entering their borders. Other vaccines, including typhoid and rabies vaccines, are just recommended by the CDC or the country.

When should I get my vaccines?

Most vaccines are available year-round, which means that people can get the protection they want whenever they’d like. The flu vaccine, meanwhile, is only readily available part of the year and is recommended for an even smaller window. Though many organizations begin offering the flu vaccine as early as August, waiting to get the vaccine until late September or even late October can offer a person more protection when the virus is most often circulating in North America.

Outside of the regular Tdap booster schedule, the vaccine is recommended in another season…the season of new life. Soon-to-be mothers should get the vaccine to pass on antibodies to fight off whooping cough (the “p” of Tdap); other adults that plan to be around babies should also get the vaccine.

Travel vaccines are another area where timing matters. To allow the vaccines to have their best chance at preventing the illness, you should give yourself a few weeks usually between inoculation and traveling. Compared to the more common flu, shingles, and Tdap vaccines, travel vaccines may not be as readily on-hand, so extra planning is a must.

Where can I get vaccinated?

The more common vaccines, like seasonal flu, shingles, pneumonia, and Tdap, are also available at the most places. Others may not be on-hand on a walk-in basis, but many places can request it on a pretty short timeline (sometimes even next day). Children’s vaccine schedules are generally taken care of by their pediatrician.

Here at our pharmacies, we offer most vaccinations and immunizations daily, with no appointment needed. We provide influenza (seasonally), pneumonia, shingles, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and meningitis vaccinations for ages 7 and over without a prescription. We can immunize under age 7 with a doctor’s prescription. We are also only a phone call away if you want to check your eligibility for certain vaccines or if you have any other questions.

We also offer COVID-19 vaccines. Please visit our COVID-19 Vaccine page to check which vaccines are available and how the location nearest you is handling these vaccines. We also offer COVID-19 testing, if you think you have been recently exposed.

Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pregnancy/vacc-safety.html
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/child-adolescent.html
https://historyofvaccines.org/getting-vaccinated
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/travel-vaccines

JUNE 2020: Seven Tips To Keep Your Immune System Healthy

05/31/2020

Seven Tips to Keep Your Immune System Healthy

One of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself and your well-being is to keep a healthy immune system. Keeping your immune system in check can help protect you from most bacteria, viruses, illness, diseases, and even cancer. Here are some key tips to keeping your immune system healthy.

Eat a healthy diet. Include plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs, and spices. Include healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acid, olive oil, and salmon. Eat fermented foods or take a probiotic, for example, yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha, kimchi, kiefer, and natto. The fiber in plant food feeds your gut microbes and the probiotics.
Decreasing your intake of sugar will help with decreasing inflammation, strengthening the immune system, and help aid with weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight. This in turn can help reduce chronic conditions such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and obesity can weaken the immune system, so by decreasing your intake of sugar you can help boost your natural defenses.
Getting a sufficient amount of good quality sleep helps strengthen your natural immune system. Not getting the right amount of sleep can increase the levels of stress hormone and also lead to more inflammation in the body. It is recommended that adults should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep daily. Your body regenerates and heals when you sleep.
Moderate exercise regularly can boost your immune system and help with sleep. Some examples of moderate exercise include 30 minutes of light hiking, brisk walking, jogging, swimming, steady bicycling, and strength training. Moderate exercise can also help with stress and lower your risk of developing chronic disease like obesity, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes. Aim for 150 minutes per week.
Managing stress and anxiety in turn eases the stress hormone, causing you to sleep better and improve the natural immune system. Some ways to manage stress and anxiety include meditation, slowing down, mindfulness practice, yoga, tai chi, connecting with other people, journaling, and exercising.
Staying hydrated with water is recommended due to its zero calories, zero sugar properties, and zero additives. Hydration is necessary for your overall health and for your body to function normally. The recommended daily amount of water to drink is enough fluids to keep your urine pale yellow. Another tip is to limit your alcohol consumption to one drink per day if you’re a woman, and two drinks per day if you’re a man, as recommended by the NIH. High levels of alcohol can affect your body’s ability to fight infection and slow recovery time. When drinking high amounts of alcohol the body is too busy trying to detoxify the system rather than focusing on normal immune system functions.
Cigarette smoking affects the immune system due to the chemicals released such as carbon monoxide, nicotine, nitrogen oxide, and cadmium. The cigarette smoke interferes with the growth and function of immune cells. Smoking can worsen viral and bacterial infections, especially in the lungs. There are many resources to help you stop smoking. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Sources: Everyday Health, WebMD, Healthline, and Harvard Health Publishing

About Shima: Shima graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BS in Microbiology in 1997 and worked at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences with the Infectious Disease Department on clinical trials for over 4 years. She then pursued a career change and graduated with her Doctorate degree from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2007. During her years enrolled in pharmacy school she worked part-time at St. Louis University, where she helped design a laboratory protocol for the BCG Vaccine Study, which received full funding in 2011.

Shima joined Sinks and Medley Pharmacy in September of 2014 as a pharmacist. She continually strives to focus on improving outcomes and raising the quality of life for patients with all types of medical ailments and conditions.