What Does Antibiotic Resistance Mean
According to the CDC, antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria changes in some way to reduce or eliminate the effectiveness of the antibiotic.
When bacteria are exposed to antibiotics repeatedly, such as when you take the medication needlessly or too frequently, the germs in your body start to evolve. These changes can make the germs stronger than before so they completely resist the antibiotic. Your illness may linger with no signs of improvement. Or your illness may suddenly take a turn for the worse, requiring you to seek emergency medical care. You may have to be admitted to the hospital and get several different antibiotics intravenously. Sadly, those around you may get the resistant bacteria and come down with a similar illness that is very difficult to treat.
Why Are Pregnant Women Advised To Have The Flu Vaccine
The flu jab will help protect both you and your baby.
There is good evidence that pregnant women have a higher chance of developing complications if they get flu, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy.
One of the most common complications of flu is bronchitis, a chest infection that can become serious and develop into pneumonia.
If you have flu while you’re pregnant, it could cause your baby to be born prematurely or have a low birthweight, and may even lead to stillbirth or death.
Antivirals For Treating The Flu
Even though antibiotics arent effective against the flu, there are antiviral medications that your doctor can prescribe within a certain time frame.
If these drugs are started within two days of developing flu symptoms, they can help to make your symptoms less severe or shorten the duration of your illness.
Antiviral drugs that are available to treat flu include:
Theres also a new medication called baloxavir marboxil . This antiviral drug was created by a Japanese pharmaceutical company, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in October 2018, and is now available to treat people 12 years or older who have had flu symptoms for no more than 48 hours.
Some antiviral drugs, including oseltamivir, zanamivir, and peramivir, work by preventing the virus from being properly released from an infected cell. This inhibition prevents newly formed virus particles from going along the respiratory tract to infect healthy cells.
The newly approved medication above, Xofluza, works by reducing the virus ability to replicate. But theyre arent usually necessary to get over the flu, and they dont kill the influenza virus.
Its not an antiviral medication like those noted above, but the seasonal flu vaccine is available every year and is the best way to prevent becoming ill with the flu.
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Can Vaccinations Be Administered To People Taking Stelara
Prior to starting treatment with Stelara, patients should receive all their appropriate immunizations for their age as recommended by National guidelines. It is important people administered Stelara DO NOT receive live vaccines. This includes:
- BCG vaccine for tuberculosis. This should not be given during treatment or within ONE YEAR of initiating or discontinuing Stelara
- Measles, mumps rubella vaccine
- Varicella vaccine.
Caution should also be exercised when administering live vaccines to close contacts of people taking Stelara as viral shedding and subsequent transmission of the virus to Stelara patients may occur.
In addition, non-live vaccines that are administered during treatment with Stelara may not initiate an immune response that is sufficient to prevent disease.
However, a yearly flu vaccine is currently recommended for people administered Stelara. A trial is currently underway investigating how the immune response is affected to vaccines in people taking biologics.
When Should You Get A Flu Shot
Exactly when the flu season starts and ends is unpredictable, so health officials recommend that people get their flu shot in early fall, preferably by the end of October, the CDC says. The same recommendation applies this year as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Flu activity typically peaks in January or February.
“We’d like to get as many people protected against influenza before influenza becomes active in communities across the country,” Schaffner said.
Most flu vaccines are given before Thanksgiving, Schaffner said, but people can still get their shot throughout the winter months. Each season’s flu shot expires in June of that year, but Schaffner said that he would consider it “too late” to get a flu vaccine after March, unless a person is traveling to the Southern Hemisphere .
After vaccination, it takes a person about two weeks to build up immunity against the flu.
People can visit the CDC’s VaccineFinder.org to find flu shot locations.
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Inflammation Rises As Gut Bacteria Go Down
The researchers measured immune response to the flu shot and diversity and abundance of gut microbes by analyzing stool and blood serum samples taken at various points during a one-year follow-up period.
They found that people taking the antibiotics experienced a 10,000-fold drop in their gut bacteria population a loss that lasted up to a year after they took the drugs. These participants also displayed signs of systemic inflammation that mirrored a pro-inflammatory state seen among people age 65 and older who have gotten the flu shot.
Scientists speculate that the inflammation may be connected to how the microbiome regulates bile acid.
What Is The Recommended Timeframe Between Doses
For both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, two doses are recommended for the primary series, and both doses must be from the same manufacturer. The second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine should be given at least 21 days after the first dose. The second dose of the Moderna vaccine should be given at least 28 days after the first dose. You should not get the second dose sooner than recommended, but if the second dose is delayed, get the second dose as soon as possible.
Vaccine Dosage and Administration for Children
- Adolescents age 12 years and older receive the same dosage of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as adults
- Children age 5-11 years receive one-third of the adult dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Smaller needles, designed specifically for children, are used for children age 5-11 years.
- COVID-19 vaccine dosage does not vary by patient weight but by age on the day of vaccination
- Children need a second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine 21 days after their first dose
- CDC recommends that moderately or severely immunocompromised 511-year-olds receive an additional primary dose of vaccine 28 days after their second shot. At this time, only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is authorized and recommended for children age 5-11 years.
CDC recommends that everyone age 12 years and older get a COVID-19 vaccine booster as soon as they are eligible.
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What’s In This Year’s Flu Vaccines
The composition of the 2021-2022 flu shot will be different from last season’s flu shot. Specifically, the two influenza A components of the flu shot differ from those in last year’s shot. In addition, all flu shots for the 2021-2022 season will be quadrivalent, meaning they will contain four strains of flu viruses.
According to the CDC, the 2021-2022 quadrivalent egg-based flu shot will contain the following strains of the flu virus:
- A/Victoria/2570/2019 pdm09-like virus This H1N1 component differs from last year’s flu shot.
- A/Cambodia/e0826360/2020 -like virus This is the H3N2 component that is different from last year’s flu shot.
- B/Washington/02/2019- like virus This influenza B strain component is the same as the one in last year’s shot.
- B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus This influenza B strain component was also in last year’s shot.
Then, there are two types of flu vaccines that dont involve eggs: cell-based and recombinant-based flu vaccines. In cell-based flu vaccines, the inactivated flu virus is grown in cultured cells from mammals rather than in hens eggs. And recombinant flu vaccines are created synthetically. To make this type of vaccine, scientists combine a lab-made antigen specific to the flu virus with a baculovirus .
What Is The Purpose Of My Covid
The COVID-19 vaccination card is simply a medical record to help keep track of which type of vaccine you received, when you received it, and when you are due for another dose if necessary. You should keep your vaccination record in a safe place, as with all medical records. It is a good idea to make a copy of the vaccination card and keep the copy secure as well. Avoid carrying the card in your wallet to prevent losing it. Laminating the card is not necessary, and can make it difficult to add booster doses. If you lose your card, contact the site where you received your vaccine or your local health department for a replacement.
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How Do Vaccines Fight Infections
Vaccines help you build a defense against illnesses you could face down the road. We have vaccines against some illnesses caused by bacteria, as well as some caused by viruses.
When you get a vaccine, your body is introduced to harmless examples of bacteria or viruses. This introduction gives your body a heads-up about germs that could become a threat if you encounter them in the future. Your immune system takes note of these possible intruders, and then is ready to respond quickly if you are exposed to them later.
Once youre vaccinated, your immune system has boots on the ground all over your body on the surfaces in your mouth, nose, and eyes, inside your stomach and gut, and circulating in your bloodstream all ready to attack at the first sign of invasion.
The advance intel a vaccine offers is critical: With it, your immune system can stop an infection so fast, you wont ever know it happened.
Remember, though, that vaccines rely on your immune system to build a strong defense, so they work best if you take them while youre healthy.
A Closer Look At How Antibiotics Influence Immune Response
This research shows that disrupting the microbiome in some individuals had a measurable effect on vaccine responses, Dr. Embry says, but much more work is needed to understand if and how the normal use of antibiotics will affect influenza vaccine response.
The research team, led by Bali Pulendran, PhD, a professor of pathology and of microbiology and immunology at the Stanford University School of Medicine, examined 22 volunteers during the 201415 flu season and 11 participants during the 201516 flu season. They ranged in age from 18 to 45.
Half the individuals in each group received a five-day broad-spectrum regimen of antibiotics before getting their flu shot. The antibiotic mix consisted of neomycin, vancomycin, and metronidazole.
Vancomycin and metronidazole are commonly prescribed for gastrointestinal infections such as Clostridium difficile . Neomycin is an antibiotic used not only to reduce the risk of infection during intestinal surgery but also to treat skin infections.
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Can I Get The Flu Shot If Im Sick What If I Have A Fever
Were quickly heading into the heart of flu season here, Buckeyes in fact weve already seen a couple of cases so its time to talk flu vaccine.
There are a few valid reasons to not get a flu vaccine:
- Youve had a severe allergic reaction to eggs in the past
- Youve had a bad reaction to a flu vaccine in the past
- Youve had something called Guillain-Barré Syndrome after receiving influenza vaccine in the past.
These are pretty rare conditions, but being sick this time of year sure isnt and we get asked all the time whether or not someone can get a flu shot if theyre sick. Or even worse people just assume they cant and we never see them! So lets set the record straight.
If youre sick with a cold or other mild illness and you dont have a fever, you can absolutely get your flu vaccine. If you have a fever , the general consensus has always been that you should hold off on getting the flu vaccine until it breaks. Why? Two reasons:
John A. Vaughn, MD
Why Should Children And Teens Get Vaccinated For Covid
Although COVID-19 tends to be milder in children compared with adults, it can make some children very sick and can require hospitalization. In some cases, complications from COVID-19 can lead to death. Children who have underlying medical conditions are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
COVID-19 can lead to both short- and long-term complications for children.
Children who get infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can also develop serious complications like multisystem inflammatory syndrome a condition where different body parts become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs.
Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can help protect children age 5 years and older from getting COVID-19. Vaccinating children can help protect family members, including siblings who are not eligible for vaccination and family members who may be at increased risk. Vaccination can also help keep children from getting seriously sick even if they do get COVID-19. Vaccinating children age 5 years and older can help keep them in school and help them safely participate in sports, playdates, and other group activities. In addition, getting vaccinated contributes to the protection of the community and school they attend.
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You Already Got Your Shot For The Year
The CDC recommends that you get your flu shot by the end of October so you’re prepared for the start of flu season. However, if you don’t get your flu vaccination within this timeframe, it’s not too late. Dr. Monique May, MD, advises, “Since it takes about 2 weeks for the flu shot to take effect, the latest I would recommend would be February to March.”
Keep in mind, you only need to get one flu vaccine annually. If you have already obtained your flu shot, you won’t need to get it again until next year. Once the vaccine is in your system, another shot won’t increase your immunity to the illness.
When To Get A Flu Shot
Since the timing of the onset, peak, and end of flu season changes from year to year and cannot be predicted, it is difficult to pinpoint the best time for getting vaccinated.
For people taking these or other drugs that suppress the immune system, the optimum time to receive a flu shot is from October to mid-November.
Flu shots are generally available in early September. The flu shot should be scheduled well before the flu season starts to get busy because it can take one to two weeks for the shot to take effect.
Flu activity usually peaks between December and February, with some activity as late as May. Therefore, the vaccination could be given even later, if necessary, because receiving a shot late is better than not getting one at all.
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Should I Delay My Covid
There is no need to delay getting vaccinated against COVID-19 until after surgery. Fever is a potential side effect of COVID-19 vaccines, and having a fever after surgery raises concerns about a possible surgical wound infection. For that reason, it is a good idea to allow at least one week between getting vaccinated and having surgery.
Myth #: You Get The Flu From The Flu Shot
“It’s a myth that you can get flu from the flu vaccine,” Schaffner said.
The viruses in the flu shot are killed, so people cannot get the flu from a flu vaccine. However, because it takes about two weeks for people to build up immunity after they get the flu vaccine, some people may catch the flu shortly after they’re vaccinated, if they are exposed to the flu during this time period.
Some people may also mistakenly attribute symptoms of a cold to the vaccine, Schaffner said.
The nasal spray vaccine contains a “live attenuated” flu virus, but the virus is weakened so that it cannot cause the flu. The viruses in the nasal spray can’t replicate in the warm temperatures of the lungs and other parts in the body. However, because temperatures in the nose are colder, the virus causes a small infection in the nose. This infection does not cause symptoms in most people, but in some people, it causes symptoms such as runny nose and sore throat, Schaffner said.
This local infection will prompt the body to make antibodies against the flu virus, Schaffner said. “That provides better protection against the real flu, which is of course, is a virus that can make you seriously ill,” Schaffner said.
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/13when Should You Alert A Vaccination Provider
Doctors and health bodies recommend vaccination for everyone right now facing critical danger from COVID. However, alerting your vaccinator about your condition beforehand can help them better deal with any reactions or side-effects which may happen.
Get the vaccine when you can. As a rule, inform your vaccinator if you suffer from any of these conditions:
-Have any allergies.
Antibiotics Could Make Flu Shots Less Effective
AUSTIN New research suggests taking antibiotics during flu season could make your flu shot less effective, according to the National Institutes of Health.
The research was conducted by giving healthy adults the flu shot and then giving half of the participants broad spectrum antibiotics. Most of the adults who took the antibiotics showed a decreased resistance to the flu.
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