Key Facts You Should Know

It is also a fact that the inactivated flu vaccine is one of the safest measures to prevent the flu. Each year millions of people get this vaccine to lower the risk of serious consequences of the flu and complications. But to address the question of how this vaccine is used, let us first define what exactly the term inactivated means. 

Regarding this the following questions can be raised: What makes it different from other inactive vaccines? Understanding the scientific principles of the inactivated flu vaccine, its advantages, efficacy, and significance for effective prevention of flu inactivated viruses will be discussed in this article.

What is the inactivated flu vaccine?

The inactivated flu vaccine is a type of flu vaccine that has virus particles that are not able to cause the flu since they have been rendered harmless or inactivated. While live vaccines employ viruses that have been weakened, inactive vaccines do not pose a threat of causing the disease. This makes them particularly appropriate for persons with compromised immunity, pregnant women, and the elderly, respectively.

How Does the Inactivated Flu Vaccine Work?

If you take the inactivated flu vaccine, the body overpowers the inactivated viruses as if they are foreign bodies. To this end, the body mobilizes other cells known as antibodies that have a specific response towards the flu virus. If you are exposed to the real influenza inactivated virus later, your body is ready to neutralize it and this minimizes the extent of illness or prevents it completely.

The immune response normally takes about two weeks to develop once one has been administered with the vaccine. This is why it is advised that one should seek the inactivated flu vaccine before the flu season starts to avoid exposure to the flu virus.

Composition of the inactivated flu vaccine

The flu vaccine that is produced in this type is the inactivated flu vaccine, and it follows predictors of which flu strains will dominate the coming flu season. It usually contains:

• H1N1, H3N2 and B strains of influenza Inactivated virus
• Preservatives and stabilizers which contribute to its stability of the vaccine
• In some vaccines adjuvants that help in improving the immune response of the body are added in the formulation.

The formulation is changed once a year in order to provide the closest possible match to the influenza inactivated virus strains current in circulation.

Differences Between the inactivated flu vaccine and Other inactive vaccines

There are many types of inactive vaccines but all the vaccines based on this principle are known as killed vaccines. The inactivated flu vaccine should also be distinguished from other inactivated vaccines in the following:

• Unlike other types of vaccines that may be produced and used for several years, it is developed yearly to cater for change in flu strains.
• It needs to be administered annually unlike most inactive vaccines such as the polio, hepatitis A, among others.
• Some additional substances to strengthen the immune response may also exist in some types of vaccines that are not inherent in other inactive vaccines.

Who Should Get the Inactivated Flu vaccine?

The killed flu vaccine is used as the preferred type of flu vaccine for most people, especially the vulnerable groups of people. The population that gets the most benefits from vaccination is the following one:

• Children (6 months and older)
• Older adults (65+ years)
• Pregnant women
• People with chronic health conditions (e.g., diabetes, asthma, heart disease)
• Patients (to avoid spreading the diseases to those RHC patients who cannot afford to travel to another facility for medical care)

However, there are some conditions under which the inactivated flu vaccine should not be taken, for example, if one has a severe allergy towards any of the ingredients in the vaccine.

Effectiveness of the inactivated flu vaccine

This is due to the fact that previous studies have shown that the inactivated flu vaccine is actually effective in preventing the flu and reducing the risk of serious complications of flu like pneumonia, heart attack and others.

The performance of the influenza inactivated vaccine is unpredictable in every season depending on the strains of the flu in circulation. The effectiveness of the vaccine is considerably high depending on the match between the current flu strain and the immunized vaccine: it cuts flu illness by 40-60%. Still, even in the cases where the match is not perfect, the vaccine weakens the infection and decreases the likelihood of developing severe symptoms and being hospitalized.

Safety and Side Effects of the inactivated flu vaccine

Besides that, the inactivated flu vaccine has been proved safe for most of the people through the previous research. Common side effects include:

• Soreness or redness at the injection site
• Mild fever or fatigue
• Headache or muscle aches

Serious side effects to vaccines are extremely limited, while the benefits that come with the vaccination are numerous.

How is the inactivated flu vaccine Administered?

In most cases, the inactivated flu vaccine is administered, in the form of an injection into the upper arm’s muscles. Different formulations are available, including:

• Standard-dose vaccines for the general population
• Higher doses of the vaccines for the higher strength immunity of older aged patients
• Adjuvanted Vaccines with additional substances to improve immune response

Myths and Misconceptions About the inactivated flu vaccine

The following are some of the common myths and misconceptions regarding the inactivated flu vaccine. However the use of inactivated flu vaccine has been found to be effective in a number of ways, there are a number of myths associated with it. It is high time to dispel some of the misconceptions:

• One common myth is that the “flu vaccine leads to the flu.” – False. The flu vaccine is of three types, and the inactivated flu vaccine is made of virus particles that are not capable of infecting people.
• “If you are in good health, then there is no reason why you should take the vaccine.” – Thus, the flu can affect any healthy person and subsequently spread the virus to the other members of the society, meaning the vaccination is important.
• “Flu vaccines are not effective.” – It is, however, far from perfect and cuts the risk of a severe illness and complications by a substantially large margin.

  

The Importance of Annual Flu Vaccination

Flu changes every year, and hence, the inactivated flu vaccine is modified and updated annually due to the high mutation rates of these viruses. In a way, people are given strong immunity against the most active strains of the flu for the particular year or season the vaccine has been developed. 

Apart from strengthening a person’s resistance against flu, it also effectively helps to relieve the pressure on the healthcare system as a whole due to the decrease in flu cases. Finally, the change in the flu vaccine form can be regarded as a key element of the common approach toward the prevention of further occurrences of seasonal flu epidemics and the protection of people all over the world.

Conclusion

Inactivated flu vaccine is a crucial agent when it comes to averting flu episodes that are associated with such complications. Knowing how it works, what it does, and setting the record straight on misconceptions regarding this topical issue, we shall ensure that we make the right decisions that would help us protect ourselves and others in future. 

Vaccination is one of the most efficient methods of how to protect oneself and avoid the occurrence of influenza inactivated viruses. Do not wait until the last moment to get your flu shot; it is time to do that now! In this way, there is a way to reduce the load of the flu and protect yourself and those around you by getting vaccinated with the help of a therapist, who knows the latest inactive vaccines. For more detail, visit our blog section!