Influenza vaccine for adults

Authors • Magdalena Plebanski Professor of Immunology, RMIT University • Jennifer Boer Postdoctoral Research Fellow, RMIT University • Katie Louise Flanagan Infectious Diseases Specialist and Clinical Professor, University of Tasmania • Kirsty Wilson Postdoctoral Research Fellow, RMIT University Disclosure statement Magdalena Plebanski receives Grant funding from National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to conduct fundamental immunology research on Flu and DTP vaccines in older adults. She conducts research on ovarian cancer, including a Phase II human trial part funded by Astrazeneca and ANZGOG (Australia and New Zealand Gynecological and Oncological Group). Katie Louise Flanagan receives funding from NHMRC, MRFF, BMGF and Clifford Craig Foundation. She was previously on Vaccine Advisory Boards for Seqiris (2016-19) and Sanofi-Pasteur (2016-18). She is President of the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases and a member of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. These are her own personal views. Jennifer Boer and Kirsty Wilson do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Partners The Conversation UK receives funding from these organisations View the full list Influenza, or the flu, is a virus transmitted by respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing. It can cause the sudd...

Share on Pinterest ozgurcankaya / Getty Images The flu is a respiratory illness that’s caused by influenza viruses. In many parts of the world, these viruses cause seasonal epidemics during the colder months of the year. The This article will explore the benefits of the flu vaccine, how effective it is, and what may influence the vaccine’s effectiveness. Before we discuss the effectiveness of the The flu vaccine reduces your risk of getting sick The main benefit of the flu vaccine is that it can prevent you from becoming ill with While the flu typically causes mild to moderate Helps prevent serious illness The flu can lead to potentially serious • adults aged • • • people with chronic health conditions, such as asthma, heart disease, and diabetes • those with a Getting the flu vaccine may help protect these higher-risk individuals from contracting the flu and potentially becoming very ill. In fact, the CDC estimates that flu vaccination prevented May reduce the severity of flu symptoms Some people who get the flu vaccine still become sick with the flu. However, there’s evidence that symptoms may be less serious in these individuals. For example, a A Helps protect people in your community When many people within a community receive the flu vaccine, it can help prevent influenza viruses from effectively circulating within that community. This can be an extra layer of protection, particularly for those at risk of serious illness. Flu season Percent vaccine effectiveness 2019–...

Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) received a grant from the National Council on Aging (NCOA) as part of the COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccine Uptake Initiative to support the school’s work in making it as easy as possible for older adults to get their updated vaccinations and protect their health. NJMS will use the $714,636 grant to reach men and women 60 years of age or older in six key counties in New Jersey: Burlington, Camden, Essex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Passaic - with evidence-based, trusted information, and support getting to vaccine appointments. Outreach will focus on those segments with the lowest vaccination rates, with special attention to those living below the poverty line, to reach aging, diverse populations who are vaccine hesitant or unaware of how to acquire their vaccinations. Outreach will be through both print and digital media, as well as through community health workers who will directly educate persons and refer them to available COVID-19 and influenza vaccination services. Today, nearly nine out of 10 deaths from COVID-19are among people 65 and over, and 70-85% of seasonal flu-related deaths occur in older adults, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While lifesaving vaccines are available, research shows COVID-19 vaccine uptake has slowed among older adults. Thanks to this grant, NJMS will organize a robust vaccination program to address this challenge in six New Jersey counties and, through social and digital media...

June 9, 2023 – After nearly 60 years of effort, vaccine protection against the potentially lethal respiratory infection respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is finally a reality. The FDA approved two new RSV vaccines: GSK’s Arexvy on May 3, and Pfizer’s Abrysvo on May 31. Both approvals are for adults ages 60 and above, who are among the most vulnerable to the infection. If the CDC recommends the vaccines – a decision that's expected after its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meets June 21 and gives its recommendation – both vaccines could be available by fall, ahead of the RSV season. The new vaccines are “a wonderful advance,” said William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, and medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Yet he and other experts wonder if Americans have so much “vaccine fatigue” that they will pass up the shot – especially since it is expected to be offered at the same time as the annual influenza vaccine and an updated COVID-19 booster. Awareness about the disease itself is another issue that may thwart the vaccine effort, as even some doctors mistakenly think of RSV as solely a pediatric danger, other experts said. RSV Danger for Older Adults, Children RSV is a contagious virus, spread via virus droplets, direct contact with the virus, or touching a surface with the virus on it, causing lower respiratory infections. It can occur in all age groups but...