2020-2021 influenza vaccine

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Hello -- I am looking for information on this year's (2020-2021) influenza vaccine. I will go to the CDC web site, but I also wanted to check in with allnurses to hear from nurses on their own experiences and what they've learned as well as their thoughts on giving it to their families, whether or not colleagues have gotten it and giving it to patients. I am interested in the notion of whether or not should be mandatory, and will explore the discussion on allnurses that has already taken place - which is to say in this thread I hope not to generate a discussion on that right now! Just want to hear what nurses are learning and experiencing in their own words about this years flu vaccine. Thanks!

Specializes in Peds ED.

I’ve gotten it every year since before nursing school, my kids get it every year. My husband means to but his employer never offered it and he isn’t always good about going out and getting it on his own.

The year the H1N1 was a separate vaccine I had bad pain radiating up my neck after the shot and went home and napped for hours after the shot, and was then fine. It was a student run clinic and I suspect injection technique was the issue and they’d probably hit a nerve.

I’ve worked places where it’s anywhere from strongly encouraged to mandatory with medical exceptions only, and I get it regardless. I’ve never had the flu pre or post starting to get the shot annually and have a pretty good immune system without any comorbidities that make flu more dangerous, but flu can be deadly to our patients and with the pandemic I would worry about additional strain on the system from a bad flu year.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

What's the problem with getting it too early? If the current year is available I mean.

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I work primary care and all I can say is that this year the flu vaccine is flying off the shelf like never before. Patients who normally refuse and beating down the door to get it. It's very hectic and I give and document flu shots all day every day. People are freaking out about the notion of waiting until October due to delivery delays.

Getting it myself is a condition of my employment. I don't get it until late October/early November.

Have not gotten any feedback so far on adverse effects or side effects from patients. 

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6 minutes ago, FolksBtrippin said:

What's the problem with getting it too early? If the current year is available I mean.

If you look up the ACIP recommendations they state the antibodies and effectiveness do decrease as the days and months after vaccination go on(to summarize, the levels of antibodies decrease as the months go on, and peak flu season is very often not until January and frequently not until February. I personally see the most positive rapid flu tests by far in March and April).

However, they still recommend giving it "early" if available and the patient is there and willing to avoid missing opportunities to vaccinate.

 

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Specializes in Community health.

We get it every year. It’s mandatory but I’d get it anyway. My FQHC doesn’t have them in for fall yet but CVS and walgreens do, so some of our patients have already gotten it. 

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Specializes in ICU/ER/Med-Surg/Case Management/Manageme.

I work in a clinic serving older adults (55 and older) and I am one of them.  I am currently suggesting people get their flu vaccine now.  I recommend they do everything they can to up their immunity such as getting vaccine, doing their best to eat nutritious meals, multivitamins, lots of fresh air exercise, yoga/chair yoga, focus on deep breathing exercises, meditation...whatever works for them.  I even recommend stress/anxiety counseling with one of our counselors on occasion.  With Covid-19 lurking around the corner, I think it's important for all of us to use every strategy we can think of to stay healthy and that's exactly what I tell them.

Any other suggestions I can recommend to my clients?

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Specializes in clinic nurse.
1 hour ago, DallasRN said:

I work in a clinic serving older adults (55 and older) and I am one of them.  I am currently suggesting people get their flu vaccine now.  I recommend they do everything they can to up their immunity such as getting vaccine, doing their best to eat nutritious meals, multivitamins, lots of fresh air exercise, yoga/chair yoga, focus on deep breathing exercises, meditation...whatever works for them.  I even recommend stress/anxiety counseling with one of our counselors on occasion.  With Covid-19 lurking around the corner, I think it's important for all of us to use every strategy we can think of to stay healthy and that's exactly what I tell them.

Any other suggestions I can recommend to my clients?

As a fellow nurse, I thank you for your diligence and thoughtfulness!

If they are already at your clinic, and getting labs, why not suggest checking D levels? I have checked mine during the pandemic and continue regular supplementation the vitamin / hormone. More and more, there are studies coming out supporting people having good Vitamin D levels - even one randomized controlled study from Spain. The number of providers who don't know about D's role in immunity is frankly embarrassing.

And, I have gone and on and about this here in allnurses, but I really recommend that people limit (or eliminate) their consumption of sugar. The association/correlation of hyperglycemia even in non-diabetic patients, is extremely strong. Fructose also can degrade enzymes necessary for Vitamin D activation, if I understand that correctly.

But overall, your recommendations are spot on.

It seems that this age cohort is not among the spreaders now. I feel like - and this is only my speculative opinion - middle-aged people are the ones who are sheltering pretty well now, wearing their masks, SD'ing and so on. That's just my take, who knows if it plays out country-wide.

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Specializes in ICU/ER/Med-Surg/Case Management/Manageme.

JVBT, ASN - good point on the Vitamin D.  Thanks for that tip for my clients and for myself.  I'm going to have mine checked.  As for sugar, we do a lot of diabetic education so sugar/CHO is an ongoing topic of discussion for me.  In another post, I commented with the struggles of losing weight as I've become older.  A few months ago, I eliminated all forms of sugar from my diet (and I can't tolerate any type of artificial sweetner) as well as most forms of simple carbs - bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, etc.  It was amazing how I finally started losing weight but even more amazing was how much better I felt.  More energy, less hunger, better sleep.  We have become addicted to sugar. 

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
On 9/12/2020 at 9:23 AM, JVBT said:

 

If they are already at your clinic, and getting labs, why not suggest checking D levels? I have checked mine during the pandemic and continue regular supplementation the vitamin / hormone. More and more, there are studies coming out supporting people having good Vitamin D levels - even one randomized controlled study from Spain. The number of providers who don't know about D's role in immunity is frankly embarrassing.

Anecdotal story here, but I saw my PCP maybe 2 years ago because I seemed to get sick if I even thought about germs.  I came back vitamin D deficient.  I’m going to get rechecked because I’m getting sick again, a lot.  Since my last check I have started covering for religious reasons... except for my face and hands my skin literally never sees the light of day.  

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Specializes in ICU/ER/Med-Surg/Case Management/Manageme.

Here.I.Stand, you made an excellent point when you mention covering and only hands and face exposure to the sun. With this pandemic, I'd bet the vast majority of our older population rarely get much sun exposure.

I go to work today and as I frequently do, I'll take various thoughts and comments from my colleagues with me. Thought of the day will be Vitamin D.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

I will be getting mine, as required by my employer. I wish I could get it sooner this year, but we won't have it until late October it sounds like. 

Last year for the first time in my life I came down with Influenza despite getting the flu shot. I also developed lower lobe pneumonia. I have always been in favor of vaccines and now I have a new respect for flu shots. It was miserable being that sick and who knows how much worse it may have been had I not gotten the shot at all.

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Specializes in clinic nurse.
19 hours ago, Nurse SMS said:

I will be getting mine, as required by my employer. I wish I could get it sooner this year, but we won't have it until late October it sounds like. 

Last year for the first time in my life I came down with Influenza despite getting the flu shot. I also developed lower lobe pneumonia. I have always been in favor of vaccines and now I have a new respect for flu shots. It was miserable being that sick and who knows how much worse it may have been had I not gotten the shot at all.

I got mine last week.

What time of year did you get the 2019-2020 flu? Are you sure it wasn't Covid? Where I work, there were four cases of pneumonia, before it was officially accepted that Covid had arrived in our city.

I know how miserable a flu can be. I'm fairly sure I had H1N1 flu in Dec of 2009, maybe I then got pneumonia, I don't know. I was very sick before the holidays but recuperated by the time I needed to travel. At that time, I wasn't a nurse, it wasn't even on my horizon and the decision of whether to get vaccinated or not was totally random - whether the sun was out, whether a co-worker in the next cubicle mentioned mercury in the solutions, etc., whether a nurse showed up at work to vaccinate us. Very arbitrary!

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