15 Dec Flu Vaccine Choices

Should I get or should I not get the flu vaccine is often the question.  Even if the vaccine is less than ideal, it still will decrease the severity of the flu.  The question then becomes, which vaccine should I get, the Trivalent or the Quadrivalent?  The extra type B flu strain in the Quadrivalent does broaden coverage, but it is more expensive.  There is no consensus on which is preferred.  Just get one.  Elderly patients, defined as 65 or older, should consider getting the high-dose flu vaccine.  Unfortunately our immune system weakens as we age.  The high-dose flu vaccine has 4 times the antigen to help boost immunity, but with this comes potentially a larger local reaction and more flu-like symptoms.  I do recommend that people 65 or older get the high-dose flu vaccine.

Another common question I get is if you can get other vaccines with the flu vaccine.  You can.  The Pneumonia vaccines (Pneumovax  23 and Prevnar 13), Shingles (Zostavax), HPV, or Tdap (Whooping cough) are all ok to get with the flu vaccine.

Here’s to the Journey!

(David W. Ball, MD, an Internal Medicine physician, founder of NuVitality Health – a wellness education company, and co-founder of Life Changing Fitness – a fitness facility for Every Body)