Flu shot for adults in 2022
In Russia, vaccination against influenza 2022-2023 has already started. The flu shot for adults will help to avoid a dangerous disease that claimed the lives of millions of people without control and treatment.

Many people today do not consider the flu a dangerous disease, since a vaccine has been developed against it, and pharmacies sell a lot of drugs that promise to “eliminate the symptoms of colds and flu” in just a couple of days. But the sad experience of past centuries, for example, the well-known Spanish flu pandemic, reminds us that this is an insidious, dangerous infection. And there are very few effective drugs that would actively suppress the virus.1.

To this day, the flu is dangerous for its complications. One of the most effective ways to protect yourself from disease is to get vaccinated on time.

Influenza vaccination in our country is included in the National calendar of preventive vaccinations2. Everyone is vaccinated annually, but there are certain categories for whom this vaccination is mandatory. These are employees of medical and educational institutions, transport, public utilities.

Where to get a flu shot in Russia

Vaccination takes place in clinics and private medical institutions. The vaccine is given intramuscularly in the upper arm.

Usually, Russian-made vaccines are provided free of charge (when vaccinated in municipal clinics, under the MHI policy), if you wish to make a foreign one, an additional payment may be required. There is no need to prepare for the procedure – the main thing is that there are no signs of other diseases, even a cold3.

In Russia, quite a few people are vaccinated, up to 37% of the population. In other countries, the situation is somewhat different, for example, in the United States, at least half of the population is vaccinated against influenza.

How long does the flu vaccine last

Immunity after a flu shot is short-lived. Usually it is enough for only one season – the next vaccination will no longer protect against influenza. Only in 20 – 40% of cases, a flu shot last season will help. This is due to the high variability of the virus in nature, it constantly mutates. Therefore, an annual vaccine is carried out, while only new vaccinations of the current season are used.4.

What are the influenza vaccinations in Russia?

The first vaccines were made from neutralized viruses, and some were “live”. Almost all modern flu shots are vaccines made from “killed” viruses. Influenza viruses are grown on chicken embryos, and this is the main reason for possible allergies – due to traces of chicken protein in the composition.

In Russia, there is practically a tradition not to trust domestic medicines, it is often believed that foreign vaccination is better. But the number of those vaccinated with domestic vaccines is growing year by year, while the incidence of influenza is falling. This indicates the high efficiency of domestic vaccines, which are no different from foreign ones.

In the spring-autumn season, medical institutions receive vaccines from Russian and foreign pharmaceutical companies. In Russia, drugs are mainly used: Sovigripp, Ultrix, Flu-M, Ultrix Quardi, Vaxigrip, Grippol, Grippol plus, Influvak. In total, about two dozen such vaccines have been registered.

There is evidence that some foreign flu vaccines will not be delivered to Russia this season (this is Vaxigrip / Influvak).

The composition of vaccines changes every year. This is done for maximum protection against the flu virus that has changed over the year. The World Health Organization predicts which strain of the influenza virus is expected this season. New vaccinations are made based on this data, so each year may be different.5.

Popular questions and answers

He will tell you about all the intricacies of the production of vaccines and their safety вRach-therapist, gastroenterologist Marina Malygina.

Who shouldn’t get the flu shot?
You can not get vaccinated against influenza if a person has malignant blood diseases and neoplasms, and is also allergic to chicken protein (only those vaccines that are made using chicken protein and contain particles of it cannot be administered). Patients are not vaccinated when their bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis worsen, and during the remission of these diseases, it is possible to be vaccinated against influenza. Do not get vaccinated if the person to be vaccinated has a fever and there are signs of SARS. The vaccination is delayed for 3 weeks if the person has had an acute illness. Vaccination is contraindicated for people in whom a previous flu shot caused an acute allergic reaction.
Do I need to get a flu shot if I’ve already been ill?
The flu virus mutates every year, so the antibodies produced in the body will not be able to fully protect against a new variant of the flu strain. If a person was ill last season, then this will not protect him from the virus this season. This also applies to people who received a flu shot last year. Based on these data, it is safe to say that it is necessary to get vaccinated against influenza, even if you have already been ill.
Can pregnant women get the flu shot?
Pregnant women have an increased risk of contracting the flu. This is due to changes in the functioning of their circulatory, immune and respiratory systems. At the same time, the severity of the course increases, which leads to an increase in hospitalizations. Studies have proven the safety of the flu vaccine for this category of people. Antibodies formed in the body after vaccination can be passed to the baby through breast milk, reducing the risk of getting sick. Pregnant women in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy, as well as while breastfeeding, can be vaccinated against influenza.
Can you wet the flu shot site?
After the flu shot, you can take a shower, while the injection site should not be rubbed with a sponge, because a hematoma may appear. The vaccine is given intramuscularly, so only the skin is slightly damaged and this does not affect the effect of the vaccine.
Can I drink alcohol after getting the flu shot?
No, any load on the liver is prohibited. Drinking alcohol after vaccination is not recommended because the chemicals in alcohol can interfere with the formation of good immunity and increase the risk of developing allergies.
When can I get the flu shot after the coronavirus shot?
You can get the flu shot one month after getting the second component of the COVID-19 vaccine. The optimal time for vaccination is September-November.
What complications can occur after a flu shot?
Vaccines have the highest benefit-to-risk ratio compared to other drugs. The consequences of diseases caused by infections are much more serious than possible adverse reactions after vaccination.

Thanks to new technologies, adverse reactions to the flu vaccine are becoming less and less. For example, in the late 70s, during the production of a vaccine, the virus was killed, slightly “cleaned” and based on it, the so-called whole-virion vaccine was created. Today, scientists understand that a whole virus is no longer needed, a few proteins are enough, to which an immune response is formed in the body. Therefore, at first the virus is destroyed and everything superfluous is removed, leaving only the necessary proteins that cause the formation of immunity against influenza. The body at the same time perceives them as a real virus. This results in a fourth-generation subunit vaccine. Such a vaccine can be used even in those who are allergic, including to chicken protein. The technology has been brought to such a level that the content of chicken protein in the vaccine is almost impossible to detect.

There may be a slight local reaction to the vaccination, redness, sometimes the temperature rises slightly, and a headache appears. But even such a reaction is rare – about 3% of all vaccinated.

How do you know if a vaccine is safe?
As with any drug, individual reactions to the vaccine can occur. At the same time, modern immunobiological preparations are high-tech products that undergo long-term tests (from 2 to 10 years) for efficacy and safety of use. Therefore, there are no unsafe vaccines on the market.

Even after a vaccine is approved for use in human immunization, health authorities continue to monitor its quality and safety. The specialized institutes of the Ministry of Health of Russia regularly monitor the performance of vaccines produced.

During the entire vaccine production cycle, about 400 controls of raw materials, media, quality of intermediates and finished products are carried out. Each enterprise has its own control laboratory, which is separate from production and operates independently.

Manufacturers and suppliers also monitor strict compliance with the rules for storing and transporting vaccines, that is, ensuring the conditions of the so-called “cold chain”.

Can I bring my own vaccine for vaccination?
Precisely because you can be sure of the safety of the vaccine only if you follow all the rules of transportation, etc., you should not buy and bring your own vaccine. Its quality may suffer. Much more reliable is what is properly stored in a medical facility. Most of them refuse to administer the brought vaccine for this very reason.
How quickly does the vaccine take effect?
“Protection” against influenza is not developed immediately after vaccination. First, the immune system recognizes the components of the vaccine, which takes about two weeks. While immunity is being developed, infected people should still be avoided to avoid contracting the flu before the vaccine has worked.

Sources of:

  1. Orlova N.V. Flu. Diagnosis, strategy for choosing antiviral drugs // MS. 2017. No. 20. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/gripp-diagnostika-strategiya-vybora-protivovirusnyh-preparatov
  2. Appendix N 1. National calendar of preventive vaccinations
  3. Information of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare dated September 20, 2021 “On influenza and measures to prevent it” https://www.garant.ru/products/ipo/prime/doc/402715964/
  4. Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare. About influenza vaccination in questions and answers. https://www.rospotrebnadzor.ru/about/info/news/news_details.php?ELEMENT_ID=15586
  5. Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare. Recommendations of Rospotrebnadzor to the population on vaccination https://www.rospotrebnadzor.ru/region/zika/recomendation.php

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