An Overview of this Season’s Flu Shot

Every season we all see adverts urging us to get the flu shot. We know it’s important and it helps keep us healthy but do we really understand why we need a new shot every year, and how the shots are decided upon?  Let’s talk about some facts and myths about the flu shot, and set out some information about this seasons’ flu shot for you.  No matter your questions, Pearl Chemist Group offers flu vaccinations at our vaccination clinic in Earlsfield.

The flu vaccine is a vaccine that contains an inactivated form of the flu virus that provides protection against the flu before outbreaks of the flu have started. It is available from late September or early October onwards through the Spring each year, taking up to two weeks for you to be fully protected against the flu after vaccination.

In 2021-2022 there are three types of inactivated flu vaccine and a nasal flu vaccine. Here is a handy table to illustrate this year’s available vaccines:

Age Group Recommended Vaccine Live Vaccine? Types of flu strains protected against Reason for recommendation

6 mos -2y

 Egg-grown quadrivalent vaccine

No

4

 LAIV not suitable for kids under 2 y.o.
2-17 yrs Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) or QIVc as alternative

YES

4

 Nasal vaccine helps reduce spread of flu virus in children.  QIVc is available if LAIV unsuitable
18-64 yrs

Quadrivalent influenza vaccine:

Recombinant (QIVr)

Cell-based (QIVc)

Egg-Based (QIVe)

No

4

 Quadrivalent vaccines protect against four types of flu strain
64+

Quadrivalent influenza vaccine Adjuvanted (aQIV)

Recombinant (rQIV)

No

4

“Adjuvant” is added to the vaccine to make it more effective in older people

Each year, scientists work very hard to identify the four most prevalent strains of the flu for the season.  Ensuring that you and your loved ones receive your flu vaccination for the season helps to protect not only yourself and your family, but also those who are vulnerable as it helps to decrease the virulence of the strains. It also helps to decrease the chance that you would need hospitalisation for or even die from the flu. You may not even think of it, but each year, prior to Covid, thousands of people died from flu complications and getting the flu vaccine helped to prevent complications due to flu.

Pearl Chemist Group has seasonal flu vaccines available for all age groups through our vaccination clinics in Earlsfield.  Visit us online today to book your flu vaccination today!  www.pearlchemistgroup.co.uk