"A prevention measure that reduced the risk of a serious outcome by 60% in most in- stances would be a noted achievement; yet for influenza vaccine, it is seen as a “failure.” JAMA.Myth: The vaccine causes the flu.
"...people may develop an influenza-like illness or even laboratory-confirmed influenza after vaccination. This does not mean the illness was vaccine induced but rather was likely due to a noninfluenza viral infection" and "exposure to influenza before immunity from the vaccine had time to develop, or the fact that the vaccine is not 100% effective."Myth: I have an allergy to eggs.
"...recent evidence-based guidance advises that all other egg-allergic patients should receive influenza vaccination based on the rationale that the risks of not vaccinating outweigh the risks of vaccinating these individuals as long as basic precautions are followed."Myth: I cannot get the vaccine because I am pregnant or have an underlying medical condition or because I live with an immunocompromised person.
"...these groups have been specifically recommended for influenza vaccination because the vaccine is safe in these persons and can prevent serious morbidity and mortality." and "it is important for clinicians to recognize the individual’s desire to prevent harm in close contacts but to redirect this good intention by emphasizing the morbidity due to transmitted influenza."Myth: I never get the flu/I am healthy.
"Refusing vaccination because of a perceived low risk ignores the potential risk to close contacts, especially those who cannot get vaccinated or who will not mount a strong immune response to the vaccine and rely on herd immunity for protection."
Please visit www.mitigationjournal.org for compete show notes and features
Edition 245 Recorded on March 5, 2013
This week on Mitigation Journal:
Bio Terror: How do we measure up?
CDC Defines Bio Threats
DAWN Report on Synthetic Drugs
Hosted by Rick Russotti, RN, Paramedic
Co Host Matt Comer, Paramedic
Please visit Mitigation Journal at www.mitigationjournal.org
Please visit www.mitigationjournal.org for compete show notes and features
Edition 244 Recorded on February 25, 2013
This week on Mitigation Journal:
Flu Emergency. How prepared are we?
Personal Action for Disease Prevention
Flu Informed with 3 Great Apps
Hosted by Rick Russotti, RN, Paramedic
Co Host Matt Comer, Paramedic
Please visit Mitigation Journal at www.mitigationjournal.org
Additional Commons Sense InfluenzaThe World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended vaccine viruses for the 2013-2014 Northern Hemisphere vaccines, and the Food and Drug Administration’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) has made recommendations for the composition of the 2013-2014 influenza vaccines to be used in the United States. Both agencies recommend that trivalent vaccines contain an A/California/7/2009-like (2009 H1N1) virus, an A(H3N2) virus antigenically like the cell-propagated, or cell-grown, virus A/Victoria/361/2011 (A/Texas/50/2012), and a B/Massachusetts/2/2012-like (B/Yamagata lineage) virus. It is recommended that quadrivalent vaccines containing an additional influenza B virus contain a B/Brisbane/60/2008-like (B/Victoria lineage) virus in addition to the viruses recommended for the trivalent vaccines. These recommendations were based on global influenza virus surveillance data related to epidemiology and antigenic characteristics, serological responses to 2012-2013 seasonal vaccines, and the availability of candidate strains and reagents.
"Since the start of the season, influenza A (H3N2) viruses have predominated nationally, however in recent weeks, the proportion of influenza B viruses has been increasing. During week 8, 53% of all influenza positive specimens reported were influenza B viruses."
