Denton County Living Well Magazine Winter 2015 | Page 40

The Flu Vaccine: It’s Worth A Shot!

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By Samantha Hartings, PharmD Candidate

magine the worst body aches you have ever experienced while sneezing, coughing, and sweating profusely followed up with chills, a fever, and vomiting. That
describes the flu. The best way to fight the flu (aka influenza) is to prevent catching it, and the flu shot does just
that. With so many options out there, which flu shot is the
best for you?
Everyone 6 months and older, the immune-compromised,
pregnant women, healthcare workers, and the elderly should
be vaccinated against the flu. Those who should not get the
flu vaccine are: those younger than 6 months, are allergic to
an ingredient in the vaccine, or are
currently ill with a fever.
The vaccines consist of three-tofour inactive strands of flu viruses
that your body will recognize and
build an immune response to. It
takes approximately two weeks for
your body to build these antibodies.
This provides protection from the illness
if the body is exposed to the virus. It is
best to get the flu shot two-to-four weeks before flu season.
Generally speaking, flu season is from October to April.
Flu shots usually become available starting in September.
Each year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
predicts what flu viruses they believe will cause the most
infections based on the previous year. This year’s vaccine
will include: influenza A California (H1N1), influenza A
Switzerland (H3N2), and influenza B Phuket (Yamagata
lineage). Additionally, the quadrivalent will also include influenza B Brisbane (Victoria lineage).
With so many options on the market, which one is the best for
you? Listed below are the available options:
Standard dose trivalent: most common flu shot for
people 6 months to 64 years of age. It is recommended
for children between the ages of 6 months and 8 years old

to be vaccinated for influenza for the first time and receive
two flu shots at least four weeks apart.
Quadrivalent: similar to the standard dose trivalent, but
protects against an additional strand of flu.
High-dose trivalent: recommended for individuals 65
years and older due to increased risk of infection and morbidities due to infection.
Recombinant trivalent: formulated without egg product
and recommended for individuals with egg allergies.
Quadrivalent nasal spray: a live, weakened vaccine
that is administered as a spray in each nostril. NOT recommended for pregnant women, immune-compromised, children under the age of 2, or people 50 and older.
Myth vs. Fact: Can I get the flu from the vaccine? This is a myth. You cannot get the flu from the flu
shot; however, if you were
exposed to the flu before or
at the time of the vaccination and your body has not had
adequate time to build protection
against the flu, you may still get
the flu. The flu shot also only protects against the three-tofour most predicted strands of flu. If you were to become
infected by a strand not covered by your administered flu
vaccine, it would still be possible to get the flu.
Flu shots are available between 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday at TexasStar Pharmacy. In the
unfortunate event that you do get the flu, our compounding lab is able to compound Tamiflu for you.
TexasStar Pharmacy has many nutritional supplements
and/or homeopathic remedies to help keep you healthy
during flu season by helping boost your immune
system. Call or stop by to discuss these options with
Christina Reiter, our staff clinical nutritionist, at your
earliest convenience.

Article written by Samantha Hartings, PharmD Candidate and reviewed by Donna Barsky, D.Ph., R.Ph.

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DENTON COUNTY Living Well Magazine | WINTER 2015