The flu vaccination is recommended for certain risk groups every autumn. For whom it makes sense, when the right time is, whether the vaccination can trigger the flu and whether there are side effects.
- The flu vaccination offers protection against certain strains of influenza viruses.
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The flu vaccination is a protective vaccination that has a new composition every year. Every year the World Health Organization (WHO) issues a recommendation for the combination of suitable virus strains.
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Who is the flu vaccine recommended for and why is it useful?
The real flu (influenza) is a serious viral disease that is harmless in most cases. But certain risk groups have an increased risk of a severe course with complications such as pneumonia or myocarditis. The flu vaccination does not absolutely protect against infection with flu viruses, but the infection is then usually much more harmless. The Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) recommends flu vaccination for the following groups of people:
People over 60 years
Chronically ill people (e.g. asthmatics, diabetics, cardiovascular patients, people with a weakened immune system)
Women in pregnancy from the second trimester of pregnancy, or in the first trimester if there is an increased risk due to an underlying disease
People who live in retirement or nursing homes
People who live with risk groups or could endanger them
In addition, people who have an increased risk of infection due to their job should get vaccinated:
In 2020 in particular, vaccination of risk groups is recommended so that severe courses of the COVID-19 pandemic can be prevented and intensive care beds remain free. Since the risk groups for infections with the flu virus and the novel coronavirus are almost identical, it is also important for those affected to protect themselves with a vaccination and hygiene measures.
In addition, all other people can also be vaccinated. Depending on the health insurance company, the costs for the flu vaccination often have to be borne partially or completely by yourself. For people from the risk groups, the health insurance companies bear the costs for the flu vaccination.
Vaccinations recommended by STIKO
When should the flu shot be given?
It makes sense to get the flu vaccination at the beginning of the flu season, i.e. in October or November. If the vaccination was not carried out at the beginning of the season, it may be useful to have it at a later point in time. After vaccination, it takes ten to 14 days for complete protection against the vaccinated virus strains to be built up.
Can a flu shot cause the flu?
Contrary to popular belief, a flu shot cannot cause flu, as it is a dead vaccine. If an infection has already taken place at the time of vaccination and the person concerned is in the incubation period without knowing it, flu can occur after vaccination. An infection can also occur in the first ten to 14 days after the vaccination, until complete protection is built up.
The effectiveness of the flu vaccine is not optimal because the virus strains cannot be accurately predicted. However, it offers good protection overall. Anyone who catches the flu despite being vaccinated usually has a significantly milder course of the disease with fewer complications.
Flu vaccination during pregnancy
Pregnant women are at an increased risk of a severe flu infection. During pregnancy, the immune system is weaker and there are numerous changes in the body, so that the disease can be much more severe than usual, even in women who are not previously ill. To avoid unnecessary complications, vaccination has been recommended since 2010 for women who are pregnant during the flu season.
Since it is a dead vaccine, you can basically vaccinate at any point during pregnancy without fear of damage. The safety of the vaccines has been scientifically proven for both pregnant women and unborn babies. However, since miscarriages naturally occur more frequently in the first trimester of pregnancy, which could then be wrongly associated with the vaccination and which could represent an additional psychological burden for the woman, vaccination is only given in healthy women in the second trimester of pregnancy. With underlying diseases and an already higher risk of severe disease, women should be vaccinated in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Influenza vaccination for children
Babies six months and older and children can also be vaccinated against the flu. The vaccination recommendation for children and adolescents as well as adults applies to those who have an increased risk of a complicated course caused by a chronic disease. In addition to the dead vaccine, which is also common for adults, there is a live vaccine for children and adolescents between the ages of two and 17, which is given as a nasal spray. This can also be used in the event of severe fear of injections or a blood clotting disorder.
What are the side effects of the flu shot?
The dead vaccine against influenza viruses is usually well tolerated. As with all vaccinations, there may be short-term redness, swelling and slight pain at the injection site. This usually resolves itself within a day or two.
The live vaccine approved as a nasal spray for children contains viruses in a greatly weakened form. It can cause a runny or blocked nose for a short time.
After the flu vaccination, regardless of the vaccine, general cold symptoms with fever, shivering or sweating, tiredness, headache, muscle or limb pain may occur, but these will go away within one to two days.
Contraindications to the flu shot
Anyone who is acutely ill and has a fever must not be vaccinated but must wait until the symptoms have subsided. Because the vaccine contains egg white, people with a strong allergy to egg white should not be vaccinated against the flu.
The live vaccine contained in the nasal spray must not be given to children and adolescents with diseases such as severe asthma or immunodeficiency.
