Past Feature Article

The Yearly Vaccine You Should Not Miss

Written by: Margaritt Abunassar, PharmD Candidate 2008, Wayne State University

Fall is here and with it comes the flu season. One of the best ways to prevent catching the flu is with an annual flu vaccination. If you have diabetes or care for someone with diabetes, you should not miss getting a flu shot in October or November. Getting vaccinated at this time offers protection right before flu season hits full-swing. The flu season can last from November through as late as May.

The flu is more than just a really bad cold.

The flu is a respiratory infection caused by the influenza virus. It is often spread from person to person by coughing and sneezing, or other contact of the virus to your mouth or nose. A person with the virus can spread it to others from one day before symptoms begin, to up to five days after becoming sick. Once caught, the flu is able to cause potentially fatal complications. Deaths among people with diabetes can increase 5-15% during flu epidemics; stated differently, this means that with diabetes you are three times more likely to die with influenza or pneumonia than non-diabetics¹. As such, it is important to take steps to prevent catching the flu.

Why am I considered High Risk if I have Diabetes?

Diabetes can cause a weakened immune system which causes a high risk of hospitalization and even death from infection. The flu can develop into sinus infections, ear infections, dehydration, worsened diabetes, and bacterial pneumonia. If you have diabetes, you are at a higher risk for developing a complicated course from respiratory tract infections. Hospitalization due to these complications is six times more likely if you have diabetes than in those without it. In this case, prevention is the best cure.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), American Diabetes Association (ADA), and the American College of Physicians recommend that adults and children greater than 6 months of age with diabetes get an annual flu vaccination^2,3,4.

Manage your risk: prevention, prevention, prevention!

Here’s how to do it…

Get a flu shot every year.
Getting vaccinated is one of the best ways to protect you and those you love, from getting the flu.
Studies have shown that in people with diabetes, influenza vaccinations have been effective in reducing hospital admissions during flu epidemics. Vaccination has been associated with a 56% reduction in any complication, a 54% reduction in hospitalizations, and a 58% reduction in deaths, and even higher reductions for those over 65 years old⁵.
Be sure your diabetes is under control!
Uncontrolled diabetes can make your immune system more vulnerable to infection than it already is. Monitor your blood sugar regularly, take your medications as prescribed, monitor your diet, and exercise regularly.
Practice good health habits.
Get plenty of sleep, exercise, and proper nutrition. Be sure to have good hygiene as well. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, clean your hands when in contact with sick people or objects that could transmit viruses and bacteria, and avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose to prevent transmission into your body.

What you need to know about the flu vaccine…

You need a new vaccination every year. The influenza virus that causes the flu changes every year, and so does the vaccine. Be sure to get a flu shot every fall to protect yourself against the new strains.
You will not get the flu from the vaccine. The flu shot vaccine is inactivated, meaning it’s a dead version of the virus, so it cannot infect you.
After receiving the vaccine, it takes about 2 weeks for antibodies to build up and protect you against the flu. If you do develop the flu despite the vaccine, the vaccine can still protect you from potential complications and hospitalization.
It’s not just for you. Vaccinate your family, too. This protects them from the infection, as well as you.
Certain people should not receive a flu shot. These include people with a severe allergy to chicken or chicken eggs, those with past severe reactions to vaccination, development of Guillain-Barre Syndrome within 6 weeks of getting the vaccine, children under 6 months, and those with moderate to severe sickness at the time of vaccination.
Side effects of the shot are mild. They include soreness, redness, or swelling at the area of the injection site, aches, and a low-grade fever.

Getting a flu shot is a simple and effective step you can take to protect you from the possibly harmful effects of the flu. Why make managing your diabetes more complicated than it already is? Spare yourself the worry and talk to your Rite Aid pharmacist or doctor about getting a flu shot this fall.

Did you know pharmacists can offer vaccinations?

Pharmacists in select Rite Aid locations are now offering adult immunizations. Vaccinations* include: Influenza, pneumococcal, shingles, tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, diphtheria, pertussis, meningococcal, human papillomavirus

*Some vaccinations are not available in all Rite Aid locations

References:

Center for Disease Control (CDC): Diabetes and Flu/Pneumococcal Campaign http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/projects/
cdc-flu.htm
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP): Prevention and control of influenza: recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR 2007; 56 (No. 1-60)
American Diabetes Association: Influenza and pneumococcal immunization in diabetes. Diabetes Care 27 (Suppl. 1): S111-S113, 2004.
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases co-sponsored by the American College of Physicians: Improving influenza vaccination rates in adults and children with diabetes: a call to action. http://www.nfid.org/pdf/publications/
calltoactiondiabetes.pdf?dbp
Looijmans-Van den Akker, Ingrid, et al. Clinical Effectiveness of First and Repeat Influenza Vaccination in Adult and Elderly Diabetic Patients. Diabetes Care. 29:1771-1776, 2006.
Center for Disease Control (CDC): Influenza (Flu) http://www.cdc.gov/flu, 2006.