Category: Flu Vaccine

ST. JOHN The Stafford County Health Department will have a drive-through flu vaccine clinic from 8-10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Health Department, located at 601 E. 1st Ave., St. John. People should drive up to the front parking lot of the building to get a form, then staff will provide the shots while people stay in their vehicles. Bring an insurance card, cash or check. The cost is $25 for a standard dose and $70 for a high dose. For more information call 620-549-3504.

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Stafford County Health Department offers drive-through flu shots - Great Bend Tribune

This development will simplify winter vaccination programmes. Credit: VERONICAGARAVAGLIA via Getty Images.

Pfizer and BioNTech have reported positive results from the Phase I/II clinical study evaluating a combination vaccine for influenza and Covid-19.

The topline results showed that the lead formulations of the combination vaccine elicited strong immune responses against influenza A and B and SARS-CoV-2. The mRNA-based combination vaccine previously received Fast Track Designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

This development will simplify vaccination practices and address the seasonal nature of respiratory diseases, including Covid-19.

Pfizer head of vaccine research and development Annaliesa Anderson said: This vaccine has the potential to lessen the impact of two respiratory diseases with a single injection and may simplify immunisation practices.

The Phase I/II study (NCT05596734) evaluated the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of combination vaccine candidates on healthy adults ages 18 to 74, with a licensed influenza vaccine and the companies Omicron BA.4/BA.5 Covid-19 vaccine.

Pfizer and BioNTechs Covid-19 vaccine Comirnaty was authorised in the UK less than a year after the Covid-19 pandemic was declared, with the rest of the world following soon after. The UKs healthcare regulator the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved Pfizer and BioNTechs vaccine for temporary emergency use.

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The latest MHRA approval came on 6 September for the adapted Comirnaty vaccine, targeting the Omicron XBB 1.5 subvariant. This kind of approval obtained through the European Commission (EC) Decision Reliance Route is valid only in the UK. This is the third adaptation of the vaccine targeting new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Comirnaty remains the leading Covid-19 vaccine by total forecast sales, forecast to reach over $51.7bn in sales between this year and 2029, according to GlobalData. However, both companies are expecting a hit to Covid-19 revenues with the sales expectations for the Comirnaty vaccine being reduced in recent earnings reports.

GlobalData is the parent company of Pharmaceutical Technology.

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Pfizer and BioNTech post early win for combination Covid-19/flu ... - Pharmaceutical Technology

Getting vaccinated against both flu and COVID-19 is an important step for staying healthy this fall and winter as both viruses continue to circulate.

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Flu season is upon us again, and while case numbers in Texas remain relatively low, a physician with Texas A&M University Health Services says the best time to get vaccinated is right now.

Dr. Tiffany Skaggs, senior director of primary care and specialty medical care, says 2023 has been a light year for influenza so far, though infection rates are still slightly higher than they were last year at this time. Texas A&M Today recently spoke with Skaggs about the outlook for the rest of flu season and the simple steps Texans can take to keep themselves and others safe.

There is not a major change expected in symptoms and hospitalization based on strain differences this year compared to last year. However, everyone 6 months and older (especially those at high risk such as pregnant, elderly or those with underlying health conditions) should get this years flu vaccine. Last years vaccine will not protect against this years strains.

The best time to get it is now, before rates start to increase.We used to think that the vaccine wore off after a few months, but now we know that the more viral replications, the more drift from the strain that the vaccine was made for. In other words, early vaccination in the population is a good thing because it prevents infections, thus decreasing the viral replications as the virus circulates through a community.

Because COVID-19 and flu can both cause severe and life-threatening complications, the dual threat of these circulating at the same time has put the health care system on high alert. Healthcare facilities learned during the height of COVID-19 how to prepare for surge capacity in order to care for potentially large numbers of very ill people.

You can and you should.

If you are sick, stay home. Consider wearing a face covering if you are ill and in public or you will be in close proximity with anyone with a respiratory illness. Wash your hands and use good respiratory safety and etiquette (sneeze and cough into your elbow, and wash your hands before and after a cough, sneeze, rubbing eyes or nose.)

The CDC has excellent flu monitoring that can help forecast your areas activity.

University Health Services is providing no-cost flu vaccines for current Texas A&M students. Visit the University Health Services website to learn more and schedule a vaccination appointment.

Read more:

Don't Wait To Get This Year's Flu Vaccine - Texas A&M University Today

The Sussex County Office of Public Health Nursing will offer the regular flu vaccine and the high-dose flu vaccine, which is recommended for people age 65 and older, at clinics this fall.

The cost of the flu vaccine is $25 per dose; the high-dose one costs $65 per dose. Only cash or checks are accepted.

Flu vaccines are free for people with Medicare Part B and any Blue Cross Blue Shield plan. Participants must bring their Medicare Part B and/or Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance card.

The Office of Public Health Nursing also offers flu vaccinations for residents who are homebound.

Clinics will be held during October. Call the Office of Public Health Nursing to schedule an appointment at 973-579-0570 ext. 1275.

Flu clinic schedule

Thursday, Oct. 26 at Sussex County Library Dorothy Henry Branch, 66 Route 94, Vernon, from 10 a.m. to noon.

Saturday, Oct. 28 at Sandyston Municipal Building, 133 Route 645, from 10 a.m. to noon.

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County offers flu vaccines today in Vernon - The Advertiser News South

(NEXSTAR) — There’s a chill in the air and, depending on where you live, there may even be snow in the forecast. Sure, that could be a sign that the holidays are around the corner, but it also means cold and flu season is knocking on our doorsteps.

With that, of course, comes the push to get vaccines, whether that be for the flu or the latest COVID booster. 

But, if you meet certain criteria, you may be due for more than one or two shots.

Let’s start with the obvious: the flu vaccine. 

The season’s flu vaccine was released last month, and according to the CDC, as many as 170 million doses are expected to be dispersed. As usual, the CDC is recommending everyone 6 months old and older (unless you’re allergic to the ingredients or have had an adverse effect to a previous vaccine) get the single-dose shot. For the first time, the CDC is recommending a higher dose flu vaccine for those who are 65 years old and older.

While you’re getting your flu shot, health experts also suggest getting your COVID booster. 

The updated boosters were approved for nearly all Americans in September. Like the flu vaccine, the COVID booster is available to anyone 6 months old and older — the Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved a vaccine dose for the youngest Americans.

You can get both the flu shot and COVID booster at the same time. If you are eligible, you could get a third vaccine in the same appointment: the RSV vaccine.

Earlier this year, the FDA approved the first-ever vaccine to prevent RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, in older adults.

“The RSV vaccine is very specifically for adults who are aged 60 and older,” Dr. Keri Althoff, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, previously told Nexstar.

People who are between 32 and 36 weeks pregnant may also receive the vaccine, according to the CDC. 

In August, the FDA approved the first vaccine to prevent RSV in infants. The vaccine is intended for pregnant women in their third trimester,

CDC recommendations say infants younger than 8 months born during or entering their first RSV season and those between 8 and 19 months who are at an increased risk for severe RSV disease and entering their second RSV season can receive one dose of this vaccine.  

RSV causes cold-like symptoms in most people, but can be more severe for infants, young children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems. CDC estimates say as many as 10,000 people over the age of 65 are killed each year by the virus. 

That staggering statistic is why the vaccine is limited in availability.

There are, of course, other vaccines you may be encouraged to get by your healthcare provider.

You can review vaccine recommendations from the CDC here, which include the aforementioned shots, routine vaccines, and those that can vary based on age, life events, travel, and health conditions.

Alix Martichoux contributed to this report.

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Who needs 3 vaccines this cold and flu season? - The Hill

Influenza vaccines (Creative Commons photo)

Alaskas chief medical officer, Anne Zink, is urging people to get the flu vaccine this month to protect themselves against an early season.

Early flu is looking rough in Alaska, Zink said. What weve seen is a real uptick in the last couple of weeks, for influenza.

She said the department often recommends people get the flu vaccine before Halloween. The slogan is Flu Before Boo and this year Zink said she thinks thats a good goal.

She said its hard to predict what the flu season will look like this year, but shes concerned. She said last year there was an early flu season and later there were high numbers of cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus or RSV, flu, and COVID. That surge threatened hospital capacity in the state last winter.

When we get a lot of viruses all at once, we can really overwhelm our limited healthcare capacity system within the state, said Zink.

But Zink said there are more immunizations than ever available for respiratory illnesses. This year is the first year an immunization for RSV is available for newborn babies up to eight months old. Last year was the first year older adults could get a vaccine for RSV. This year, there are two RSV vaccines for adults over the age of 60, and a vaccine available for pregnant women so they can pass immunity to their child. And Zink said, in addition to flu shots, people at greater risk for severe symptoms can take treatments like Tamiflu within the first two days of symptoms to reduce severity.

RELATED: Staffing shortages at Alaska pharmacies continue after pandemic-related shakeup

Excerpt from:

Alaska sees fast increase in early flu cases; experts urge vaccination - Alaska Public Media News

doctor morning desk Alena Kryazheva - stock.adobe.com

Flu vaccine at home

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reviewing an application for an at home nasal spray flu vaccine called FluMist. It has been on the market since 2003. One of the things weve learned from the pandemic is that actually people can do things for themselves, they can take maybe more responsibility for their own health care in their own hands than perhaps we realized or even thought possible, AstraZenecas Dr. Lisa Glasser said in a statement.

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NP inappropriate prescribing levels no higher than physicians

Nurse practitioners are no more likely to prescribe inappropriately to older adults than physicians, new research shows. The study examined Medicare Part D beneficiaries aged 65 and up in 2013 to 2019. The authors concluded by saying the study adds to growing evidence indicating that when prescriptive authority is expanded to include NPs, these new prescribers do not perform worse than physicians."

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Flu vaccine at home; 14-year-old invents cancer-treating soap; NP ... - Medical Economics

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Why you shouldn't postpone your flu vaccine - The Albany Herald

A pregnant matron at Tameside Hospital has just received her flu vaccine and is urging other expectant mums to do the same this winter.

Jen Heath, 40, wanted to ensure she has maximum protection from flu as it's recommended that all pregnant women have the free flu vaccine, whatever stage of pregnancy they're at.

Jen said: I have the flu vaccine every year as I work for the NHS. This year, it was even more important for me to be vaccinated as I am pregnant with my 4thbaby. I know that if I were to get flu whilst pregnant, particularly in the later stages, that the complications arising from it can be more severe for both me and my baby.

Pregnancy changes how the body responds to infections such as flu. Having flu increases the chances of pregnant women and their babies needing intensive care.

One of the most common complications of flu isbronchitis, a chest infection that can become serious and develop intopneumonia.

Ifsomeone hasfluwhile pregnant, itcould causethe baby to be born prematurely or have a low birthweight, andmay even lead tostillbirthor death.

As studies have shown that it's safe to havea flu vaccineduring any stage of pregnancy, from the first few weeks up to the expected due date, Jen was keen for other expectant mums to be aware of this. She said: One of the main myths around having the flu vaccine is that it can give you flu. This is not a live vaccine so it cannot give you flu. Like any vaccine, it can make you feel a bit achy and under the weather for a few days afterwards but I see that as a sign that my body is developing a good immune response.

Women who have had a flu vaccine while pregnant also pass some protection on to their babies, which lasts for the first few months of their lives.

Cllr Eleanor Wills, Tameside Council Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: Don't forget to get your flu vaccine during pregnancy; its a simple step towards a healthier winter for you and your baby. If you havent already, get in touch with your GP to book your appointment.

Jen has some final words for expectant mums: I would encourage all pregnant women to get their vaccine as it offers the best protection against developing serious complications from flu for both them and their baby.

Anyone looking to book their flu vaccine should contact their GP.

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Jen's jab protects her and baby from flu this winter - Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

POCATELLO Less than half of all Idahoans receive the influenza vaccine every year, which is lower than the national average.

Public health officials want those numbers to rise, and are speaking out about the importance of getting the vaccine to decrease peoples chance of catching the virus or being hospitalized over it.

When people get their flu shot there are better health outcomes and healthier communities, said Allison Bischoff, Clinical Services Director for Southeastern Idaho Public Health.

Nikki Sayer, Head Nurse of Immunizations at Eastern Idaho Public Health, echoed this sentiment, saying vaccines are about more than just protecting the person who receives it.

Its important not only to protect yourself against the flu, but its also important to protect your family and your community against circulating viruses, Sayer said.

The last flu season (2022-2023) had the lowest percentage of people receiving vaccines in the last decade, with only 36.9% of Idahos population covered. In Idaho, the average percentage of the population receiving vaccines over the last 10 years is 40.9%. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the nationwide percentage over 18 years old that received a flu vaccine in the 2021-2022 season was 49.4%.

Locally, the numbers are a bit higher than statewide but not by much. According to data from the Department of Health and Welfare, only 39% of people received their flu vaccination within Southeastern Idaho Public Healths boundaries in 2021, which is the most current year data was available. Eastern Idaho Public Health had 38.1 percent of its population receive a flu vaccine.

The percentage of the population receiving vaccines has declined in the last two years, which both Bischoff and Sayer attribute to a number of factors, including vaccine fatigue. While the 2020-2021 flu season had a 10-year high of 46% of people receiving the vaccine, the following year dropped to 42.3%.

Theyve been hearing about vaccines, Sayer said. You know, go get your COVID vaccine, and people are just tired of hearing the message.

Another contributing factor has been vaccine misinformation, which has increased in recent years.

Weve had lots of misinformation about vaccines being shared and then that got really heightened during COVID, Bischoff said. It really just leads to distrust in vaccines and their effectiveness.

Sayer said the reason why some people feel like theyve caught the flu after receiving a vaccine is because its immunizing the receiver from multiple viral strains that are expected to be the most common in that season.

Some side effects of the vaccine includes some flu like symptoms, but they are not going to put you in the hospital, like influenza itself, Sayer said.

People who have chronic health conditions are more likely to have their condition worsen and be hospitalized for influenza. When they and the people around them receive their flu vaccine, the chances of that happening are greatly reduced.

Some people die of influenza every year. Between 2011 and 2023 in Idaho, deaths have ranged from one to eight people per year. There were eight deaths in the 2018-2019 season and in the 2022-2023 season.

Sayer said the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine was a testament to the effectiveness of vaccines.

There wasnt any immunity against the COVID virus and we saw many deaths and hospitalizations and sicknesses at the beginning and then the vaccine rolled out and things dramatically decreased, Sayer said. So thats one testament to vaccines and how it works.

For people who want to get their flu shot, theres a number of options they can utilize. Vaccines.gov shows where people can find pharmacies that offer the vaccine. SIPH partnered with the Idaho Immunization Program to offer vaccines at a lower cost for people who are uninsured or underinsured. EIPH is offering a drive through vaccine clinic on Oct. 19.

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Less than half of Idahoans get the flu vaccine every year. Have you been vaccinated? - East Idaho News