Which flu vaccine is better - imported or domestic. Influvac and vaxiflu: which flu vaccine is better Which flu vaccine is vaccinated against

Flu shot 2018-2019 which vaccine is better - rating and review of the most good vaccines, as well as reviews of doctors and patients about the effectiveness and contraindications of drugs. Hong Kong, Japanese, Californian, Spanish and other types of influenza annually excite the minds and imagination of citizens. But the saddest thing is that there are really a lot of cases of deaths and complications.

With regard to flu shots, doctors have a variety of opinions, for example, some believe that the best vaccine can only be a live one, after which a truly impenetrable immunity is formed. Ordinary citizens judge differently, mainly taking into account the number of side effects. It's no secret that after live vaccines, many people get very sick. The opposite effect can also occur, when the vaccine kills the remnants of immunity, and the person simply does not get out of the hospital.

For this reason, rank the best vaccinations from the 2018-2019 flu is very difficult, especially given the potential accusations of commercial interest. I want to warn you right away that the author is generally against influenza vaccination, especially for young and healthy people. Most good remedy, which do not have side effects - is the use of garlic in combination with sports, vitamins, good food and healthy lifestyle. By the way, the use of garlic by persons who work with clients increases the time for rest, and speeds up empty conversations.

But since it is impossible to dissuade a huge number of people from getting a flu shot while switching to garlic, and the opinion of the Ministry of Health must be taken into account, you should still make a list of the most popular drugs.

flu shot rating

The ranking of the best flu shots 2018-2019 is very approximate, taking into account several criteria. This rating is not based on clinical trials, it is based on the opinions and reviews of patients' doctors. Again, these reviews are different everywhere, so you can’t hope for complete objectivity, but in general terms, you can get a more or less accurate idea from this information.

By side effects and contraindications:

Whole-cell live and inactivated vaccines, which use slightly purified or killed influenza virus, have the highest percentage of side effects. Even the injection site often turns red and sore, and the patient can become very ill after vaccination. It is thanks to such drugs that influenza vaccination has so many opponents.

Split vaccines contain proteins, but the virus itself is destroyed. This is the most popular type of vaccine today. But in terms of the number of side effects, subunit vaccines, where everything is maximally purified, are the safest.

By efficiency:

People who believe that the Zhiguli is better than the Mercedes, and the US and the EU are rotting, can safely put the Russian Grippol vaccine. It can even be.

Everyone else is recommended to install imported Influvak. Why her? Because there are a lot of positive reviews about her on the forums, at least more than on others. You can also google and find recommendations from immunologists and pediatricians, parents of children, and so on.

Given the development of technology, in a few years a new flu shot 2018-2019 may appear, which vaccine would be better discussed from a slightly different angle, for example, some doctors talk about the prospects for whole-cell drugs, they say, it will be possible to make them safe.

Autumn is coming and everyone, except for warm clothes, umbrellas and sturdy shoes, needs other, no less important protection. With the onset of cold weather and wet weather, a person needs help from microorganisms that attack us from the beginning of autumn until late spring. Now is the time to take action to protect yourself from the flu.

Today, one of the methods offered by doctors to combat the virus is vaccination. Should you get a flu shot? To whom is it shown? Who should refrain from this injection? How to approach the choice of protection and what precautions should be taken before and after vaccination?

How the flu vaccine works

Vaccination against one of the most formidable infections that claims tens of thousands of human lives every year does not work like a medicine. It does not save those who are already sick, as many people think. Any flu shot is a tool that helps to launch the body's own defenses, helps it fight infection, preparing it to meet the virus.

What is the composition of the flu shot? It may differ, as vaccines can be:

  • live, which include either weakened microorganisms or pathogens that do not cause disease, but contribute to the formation of immunity against influenza;
  • inactivated, that is, killed.

The latter are obtained by growing the influenza virus on chicken embryos, after which they are cleaned of impurities and neutralized by physical or chemical methods (formaldehyde, ultraviolet radiation, and so on).

Inactivated vaccines, in turn, are divided into:

  • for whole-virion vaccines - they contain virus particles or virions;
  • split or purified, which do not contain lipids and chicken protein;
  • subunit, consisting of only two viral proteins involved in the formation of the immune response.

When to get a flu shot? Depends on the vaccine. You need to carefully read the instructions, they indicate how long the immune defense is produced. Any flu shot contributes to the production of antibodies in the human body. After that, when they encounter a real virus in life, these protective cells begin to act. Human immunity copes with the flu faster and tolerates all the symptoms of the infection much easier, including the absence of severe complications.

How long does the flu vaccine last? Depends on the vaccine. In general, drugs protect against the virus for 6 months. But some will protect against the flu for at least nine months and up to a year.

Why you need a flu shot

In our time, so many means of fighting the flu have been invented, why do doctors insist on immunization against this virus? Do I need to be vaccinated and why? What are the arguments for and against the flu shot? To answer these questions, you need to remember a few important facts about the virus itself.

Should an adult be vaccinated against the flu, because his body, compared to a child, tolerates many diseases more easily? Everyone needs the vaccine, especially certain categories of the population at risk:

How and where do you get the flu shot?

Where can you get a flu shot? Vaccination is carried out more often in the clinic. But in addition, vaccination can be done in other institutions where there is a special equipped room and permission to carry out such procedures:

How to get a flu shot at the clinic? If a person belongs to a risk group, vaccination should be planned in advance. In this case, the district nurse draws up lists of those in need and invites them for a flu shot during the start of the cold season. A person comes to an appointment, a doctor examines him, sends him for examinations, after which, if the person is healthy, he goes to the treatment room for vaccination.

Another option is if a person went to a doctor to get vaccinated on a paid basis (that is, he is not included in the risk group). Then you need to purchase the vaccine at your own expense (you can choose from those available at the clinic or order at another medical institution), make an appointment with a doctor who will send you for vaccination.

Where is the flu shot given? The introduction of the vaccine is done subcutaneously or intramuscularly into the deltoid muscle. The drug is injected subcutaneously into the shoulder or into the subscapular region. Live vaccines can be administered intranasally.

Can pregnant women get the flu shot?

One of the important questions related to influenza vaccination is whether pregnant women can be vaccinated? This is a special category of patients whose treatment is carried out under supervision. They are banned from almost all drugs for the flu, and vaccinations are banned, because no one knows how the vaccine will affect the health of the unborn child.

So can pregnant women get the flu shot? On most drug annotations, a line is written that pregnant women can use it if the benefit outweighs the expected harm to the unborn child. And this is understandable, because all medicinal and prophylactic drugs are not tested on pregnant women. As for the flu shot, it is allowed for pregnant women, but you need to choose a high-quality inactivated vaccine.

Can breastfeeding mothers get the flu shot? Yes, it is possible and necessary. A woman's body, weakened after childbirth, is extremely susceptible to infections, and the flu can lead to serious consequences if the immune system is weak (nursing mothers do not sleep well and are very nervous). In addition, such vaccinations are another way to protect the baby, because all protective cells are transferred to the child with mother's milk.

Can I get the flu shot while planning a pregnancy? - not only possible, but also necessary. During the preparation of a woman for pregnancy, it is necessary to protect the body as much as possible from possible infections. Influenza during pregnancy can not only lead to impaired fetal development, but also to miscarriage. Therefore, the vaccine will save the mother from infection and the unborn baby.

Flu shot in childhood

Should my child get a flu shot? Why should a child be vaccinated? Due to the prevalence and severity of the disease, which threatens with numerous complications, vaccination is indicated for all children, especially those who are debilitated and with chronic diseases. Children are also included in the category of those in need, so they are vaccinated for free.

But the flu vaccination of very young children has its own characteristics, namely:

  • children are practically not vaccinated from birth;
  • the optimal age for a flu shot is from 6 months;
  • most vaccines are administered to babies twice;
  • The flu shot is given in the thigh area.

There are explanations for this. Mom's immunity lasts for about 6 months - so the child is vaccinated from six months. The vaccine is given twice a second a month later, so that the immune system works better. The fact is that adults met with the virus in natural conditions, their immune memory works. Most young children don't have it.

At what age can a child be vaccinated against the flu? Most flu vaccines can only be given to children 6 months after the baby is born. In rare cases, vaccination is done up to six months, according to strict indications.

Why are babies vaccinated by injecting the drug into the thigh area? This is the best place for vaccination, if a reaction to the vaccine suddenly develops, it is easier to carry out resuscitation measures (application of a tourniquet).

Important question, caring parents - whether to vaccinate against the flu in a child in kindergarten? Children need more protection from the flu than anyone else. In a crowded team, the likelihood of getting sick is much higher. Therefore, children are classified as often ill. How to protect a kindergarten kid from illness?

  1. Ideally, all children in the community should be vaccinated.
  2. Adults living in the same area as the child should also be vaccinated.
  3. Three days before the proposed vaccination, it is necessary to exclude as much as possible the contact of the baby with other people, especially those who are ill.
  4. Three days after vaccination, it should not be taken to places with a large number of people (there may be flu patients).

It is better if the child stays at home for a week after the vaccination. So, the likelihood of getting sick during the flu vaccination, when the immune system is weakened, will decrease.

Influenza vaccine contraindications

Each vaccine has strict restrictions, a list of those diseases and cases when it should not be administered due to possible development severe complications.

Which category of people is absolutely contraindicated for the flu vaccine?

  1. Anyone who is allergic to chicken protein. You can not enter only those vaccines that are made using chicken protein and contain particles of it. You should tell your doctor about allergies.
  2. Childhood up to six months.
  3. If previously there were reactions to one of the components of the drug, it is better not to vaccinate.
  4. A temporary medical exemption from the flu shot will be given to everyone who is ill acute infection or if a chronic illness has flared up. In this case, you need to wait until full recovery at least 2-4 weeks.

Oncological diseases, pregnancy, immunodeficiency states are not a contraindication to vaccination. Everyone who suffers from these diseases, on the contrary, needs vaccination, because they are more likely to transfer the infection and its complications during the cold season.

Who shouldn't get the flu shot? Another category is people with incipient symptoms. Headache, mild nasal congestion, and joint pain may be initial signs flu. Any unfamiliar or insignificant, at first glance, manifestation of the disease is a contraindication to vaccination.

Possible reactions and complications

Despite the widespread propaganda against influenza vaccination, this is a simple and reliable protection, if all conditions are correctly met:

  • maximum universal vaccination coverage of others;
  • isolate the sick, if there are any in the house;
  • you need to try not to run into sick people, because often people who are already infected often come for vaccination without knowing it;
  • you need to learn more about the vaccination itself from health workers.

Why can my hand hurt after a flu shot? Split and subunit vaccines sometimes give such complications, but not for long. In addition, soreness at the injection site is experienced more often by impressionable people. This reaction subsides within 1-2 days.

Reactogenicity in influenza vaccines (the ability of the drug to lead to any complications in humans) is practically absent. But how a person reacts to the drug always depends on the individual characteristics of the body.

What can happen after the vaccine is given:

  • one of the possible reactions to the flu shot is an allergy to chicken protein or any component of the vaccine;
  • from inactivated vaccines sometimes there is a local reaction in the form of an infiltrate (soreness and redness at the injection site);
  • one of the side effects of the flu shot is a slight fever of no more than 0.5 ° C, redness of the throat, which resembles an acute viral infection and is more common with live vaccines, but all symptoms disappear on their own, after 1-2 days.

Can you get sick from the flu shot? No, it's practically impossible. There are only suggestions that a live virus in exceptional cases can mutate and cause a disease, but there were no such facts.

You can repeatedly hear stories that after vaccination a person got sick or suffered it very badly. During vaccination, no one is immune from the introduction of a poor-quality vaccine (unfortunately, they will only find out about this after vaccination) or from meeting an already ill person, after which you can get the flu. Many people forget to tell the doctor about the exacerbation of a chronic disease.

Complications from influenza vaccination are not officially registered. Any case of severe reaction must be dealt with. If any reaction occurs, treatment is symptomatic.

What to remember after vaccination

Awareness about the drug helps to cope with the consequences. In addition, no one knows how the body will react to the introduction of a new substance. Therefore, it does not hurt to stock up on the most necessary medicines:

How to behave after vaccination?

  1. Can I drink alcohol after getting the flu shot? No, any load on the liver is prohibited (and alcohol, spicy foods and viral infections pass through our main digestive gland). Light but balanced diet and no alcoholic beverages help make vaccination easier.
  2. No need to eat exotic foods. Nobody knows how it will end. Mistakenly allergic to a piece of unfamiliar fruit can be counted as a reaction to the vaccine.
  3. Try to avoid crowded places and do not visit hospitals and clinics unless absolutely necessary. Such a simple rule will reduce the likelihood of meeting with virus-infected people.
  4. Can I bathe after a flu shot? It is not prohibited. But the first days after vaccination, bathing, swimming in the pool and in natural reservoirs are temporarily prohibited. Prolonged exposure to the bathroom may irritate the injection site. And in in public places after vaccination it is easy to become infected. It is better to take a shower, while the injection site should not be rubbed with a sponge.

Not everyone knows or remembers these rules, but they make it easier to transfer possible reactions.

The choice of vaccines for vaccination

Now polyclinics resemble pharmacies, in which there are many different drugs of the same type, and if necessary, at the request of the client, others can be ordered. How not to get lost in this abundance of flu vaccines? The easiest way out is to consult with a specialist about which vaccine is best tolerated. As already mentioned, there are several options for protection. What is the best flu vaccine? All of them form immune defense from illness. You need to choose based on whether you are allergic to chicken protein or have already had a reaction to the components of some drug.

In most cases, intolerance to the drug is due to a violation of the rules of vaccination and the behavior of the person himself. Under ideal conditions, all vaccines are well tolerated.

Is a flu shot needed? Yes, it is needed, especially for those categories of the population that are at risk. Vaccination is important for those who do not want to be on sick leave for a long time. How do you deal with the effects of the flu shot? It is best to prevent them, which you need to worry about in advance by talking with your doctor.

The most common infectious disease our present is the flu. Its prevalence, according to statistics, is 95% of all infectious diseases. Every year, 15% of the world's population is diagnosed with influenza. Pandemics and epidemics of influenza are known under the names "Spanish flu", "Hong Kong", "Asian", "Russian", "Pig". The course of this disease in each epidemic differs in severity and degree of complications. The most ferocious flu - "Spanish flu" in 1920 killed 20 million people!

Influenza is prevented worldwide through vaccination. In Russia, since 1992, flu vaccinations have been made, including the Vaxigrip vaccine. In 2011, influenza immunization was included in National calendar Russia. Below we will consider at what age the Vaxigrip vaccine is given, whether they can be given to pregnant women, and whether there are contraindications.

How bad is the flu

flu - high contagious disease transmitted by contact when talking, sneezing or coughing. The causative agent of the disease is the filterable Myxovirus influenzae virus. According to its antigenic properties, it is divided into types A, B and C. Depending on the variety of the strain of the influenza virus, the course of the disease is different. The disease of virus strains B and C is characterized by a milder course. Influenza caused by strain A is characterized by a severe course with intoxication and complications. It is the A type of virus that is responsible for the epidemics.

With a mild development of the disease, there is a rise in temperature to 38 ° C, headache and weakness. At moderate temperature rise above 39 ° C, accompanied by the following symptoms:

  • intoxication (ache throughout the body, muscle and joint pain, weakness);
  • coughing runny nose, chest pain;
  • abdominal symptoms (abdominal pain, dyspepsia).

In a severe form of the disease, these symptoms are accompanied by vomiting, convulsions and confusion. The temperature rises above 40 °C.

The most severe form of influenza, which was the "Spanish flu" in 1920, is distinguished by a fulminant course. It is manifested by primary viral pneumonia, affects people of any age, including young and healthy people. With this form, the temperature rises sharply, then there is a strong cough with shortness of breath and cyanosis. Rapidly develops heart failure with pulmonary edema. The use of antibiotics does not make sense, a fatal outcome quickly occurs. In children, a severe form of influenza with a fatal outcome is manifested by neurotoxicosis. With this form, encephalopathy (brain damage) develops with hemodynamic disorders (impaired blood circulation).

The flu is especially dangerous for children and the elderly. In people with weakened immune systems and severe chronic diseases, it gives a complication. The expression "The flu is not so terrible as its complications" characterizes the disease very accurately. The flu virus depresses the immune system so much that it is easy to join bacterial infections in the form of pneumonia, myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), meningitis. These complications can end badly.

Description of the Vaxigrip vaccine

"Vaxigrip" is an inactivated anti-influenza vaccine, its manufacturer is Sanofi Pasteur S. A. (France). It has been produced since 1969 and has successfully established itself all over the world. In Russia, Vaxigrip has been used since 1992.

Viruses for the Vaxigrip vaccine are grown on chicken embryos, then split and inactivated. For the vaccine, 2 strains of type A virus and 1 type B virus are taken. The components obtained from each type of virus are then mixed. The composition of the antigens of the virus changes annually depending on which strain of the influenza virus is expected this year in Europe and Asia, according to WHO (World Health Organization).

The Vaxigrip vaccine contains antigens of each of the 3 types of virus, 15 mcg each (two types A and one B) and auxiliary components.

The Vaxigrip flu vaccine protects against the disease for 6-12 months. Immunity after vaccination is developed in 90% of vaccinated people. "Vaksigrip" is available in vials, ampoules of 0.5 milliliters or a syringe dose is used.

Description of the instruction "Vaxigrip"

"Vaxigrip" is introduced according to the scheme. According to the instructions for use, the vaccination schedule is as follows:

  • adults and children over three years old - 0.5 milliliters once;
  • children from 6 months to three years - 0.25 milliliters once.

If "Vaxigrip" is given for the first time to children who are under the age of nine, they are recommended revaccination after 4 weeks.

The vaccine is administered intramuscularly in the middle third of the thigh or upper third of the shoulder.

Due to the seasonal nature of the incidence, vaccinations with the Vaxigrip vaccine are carried out every year in the autumn-winter period - from September to March. Optimal time for vaccination September-November, when there is still no outbreak of SARS. The vaccine can be given at the start of an influenza outbreak.

Indications for vaccination

Vaxigrip is used for seasonal influenza prophylaxis in children over 6 months of age and in all adults.

Vaccination "Vaksigrip" is especially indicated for persons at risk. In the case of influenza infection in these people, it proceeds with severe complications or the underlying disease worsens. The risk group includes patients with such diseases:

  • respiratory diseases, including bronchial asthma;
  • cardiovascular diseases;
  • chronic kidney disease with renal failure;
  • metabolic disorders, including diabetes;
  • people over 60;
  • patients receiving corticosteroids, antidepressants, radiation therapy.

Contraindications for Vaxigrip vaccination

The Vaxigrip vaccine has absolute contraindications:

  • allergy to chicken eggs;
  • an allergic reaction to a previous vaccination.

At elevated temperature Vaxigrip immunization is delayed for a month.

According to the available information on the use of the vaccine during pregnancy, Vaxigrip does not adversely affect the fetus or the woman's body. Vaccinations for pregnant women can be carried out starting from the second trimester of pregnancy. Vaxigrip vaccinations are not contraindicated during lactation.

Side effects of "Vaxigrip"

After vaccination, the reaction to "Vaksigrip" is absent or it is insignificant. Side effects appear as redness at the injection site. After the Vaxigrip vaccination, the temperature rises no higher than 37 ° C. From common symptoms are noted:

  • headache;
  • muscle and joint pain.

Side effects usually go away on their own in a few days. In rare cases, after the Vaxigrip vaccination, there are complications in the form of urticaria, neuralgia, paresthesia, convulsions, transient thrombocytopenia (a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood). In very rare cases, angioedema develops.

How to prepare for the Vaxigrip vaccination

No special preparation for vaccination is required. But in order to minimize the development of an adverse reaction after the Vaxigrip vaccination, measures can be taken.

  1. The main thing is that on the day of vaccination and 2 weeks before it, the person is healthy. If in doubt, you should consult a doctor in advance and, if necessary, take tests.
  2. A few days before vaccination, exclude from the diet foods that can cause even a mild allergic reaction.
  3. In children on the day of vaccination, an examination by a pediatrician is required!

Actions after vaccination

After the Vaxigrip vaccination, you should stay in the clinic for another half an hour to observe the reaction. If there were anxiety symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. These symptoms include:

  • temperature increase;
  • hives;
  • hoarseness of voice;
  • swelling of the lips and earlobes.

After vaccination with Vaxigrip, you need to stop walking for 2-3 days and monitor your well-being for the development of a reaction to the vaccine. The injection site should not be wet and combed.

Analogues of the Vaxigrip vaccine

Analogues of the Vaxigrip vaccine are:

  • "MonoGrippol";
  • "Influvac";
  • "Orniflu";
  • "Inflexal";
  • "Begrivak";
  • Agrippal.

Summing up the results of the use of the Vaxigrip vaccine, we note that this is a proven drug that has proven itself well for many years, both abroad and in Russia. The vaccine is intended for seasonal prevention of influenza in children from six months and in all adults. Immunity is developed in 90% of vaccinated individuals and provides protection for up to 1 year. Vaccination is carried out annually. Vaccine antigens are updated every year according to WHO recommendations. The vaccine has contraindications, but is generally well tolerated. Although the reaction of the body to "Vaxigrip" is generally insignificant, it is necessary to prepare for the vaccination in advance. On the day of vaccination, a medical examination and temperature measurement are required.

The flu vaccine protects a person from the severe consequences of influenza and reduces the risk of falling ill with it by almost 2 times. Thanks to the vaccine, the disease is much easier to tolerate even if a person does get the flu, and the severity of symptoms is also significantly reduced. Not to mention lethal outcomes, which become almost 2 times less after mass vaccinations. Which flu vaccine works best and when should it be given?

Scientific experiments that have been conducted over the past few years have shown that thanks to vaccines, the course of influenza is much easier or does not manifest itself at all. In addition, studies have shown that vaccines are quite easily tolerated by humans, they stimulate well immune system humans and reduce the risk of epidemics.

  • Influvac
  • Grippol
  • Waxigrip
  • Begrivak
  • Fluarix
  • Agrippal

These drugs meet all the requirements of pharmacological international organizations that control the production of vaccines. The level of protection of these vaccines is very high - more than 70%. This is a very effective level of protection against the flu. It avoids influenza complications, deaths and epidemics.

Science has proven that vaccination in groups of only 20% of employees significantly reduces the risk of epidemics and the number of diseases. This applies to both influenza and acute respiratory infections.

Vaccines that fight the flu are called medical term trivaccines. This name was given to vaccines because they contain antigens against the three most popular and dangerous influenza viruses: A, B, C.

Who needs to be vaccinated?

First of all, vaccination is given to those people who are at risk of catching the flu (but only on the condition that they agree, and this consent must be in writing).

  1. Elderly people - over 60 years old
  2. People with chronic diseases, hospital patients
  3. Children and adults with bronchopulmonary diseases, especially with bronchial asthma
  4. Children and adults with heart and vascular diseases
  5. Children and adults with respiratory diseases
  6. Children and adults who were treated in a hospital for kidney and liver disorders a year ago
  7. Children and adults who have had chemotherapy, including one year ago
  8. Nurses, doctors - employees of medical and school institutions
  9. People who work in numerous teams (and children attending kindergartens, schools)
  10. Residents of hostels, communal apartments, nursing homes, as well as those who are in prison.
  11. Pregnant women in the second or third trimester (as recommended by a doctor)

How is the flu vaccination given?

The vaccine is usually injected into the shoulder, in the area of ​​the deltoid muscle (this is the upper third of the shoulder muscle). After the vaccine, you can not wet the injection site during the day, as an inflammatory reaction of the skin may occur. Also, if you are told not to drink alcohol after the vaccine, be aware that this information is incorrect.

The vaccine can also be administered through the nose by instillation (children are told that these are “droplets”). In this case, the body's response to viruses and bacteria is weaker than when injected, which explains the unpopularity of this method of vaccination in our time.

The average time for the formation of stable immunity to influenza in humans is from 10 days to two weeks from the moment the vaccine enters the human body. Before October, doctors believe, there is no point in making a vaccine, because the effect of the drug gradually subsides, and by the beginning of the peak of the flu, the body may again be weakened.

What are the types of flu vaccines?

There are two types of vaccines: live (with live viruses that are already attenuated and adapted to human body) and inactivated (which do not contain live viruses).

What is the most effective flu vaccine?

Doctors recommend choosing in most cases inactivated vaccines(example - influvac). These vaccines do not contain live viruses and are therefore easier to tolerate than those with live viruses. Non-live vaccines contain either particles of already destroyed viruses or surface antigens of the influenza virus.

The safety of these vaccines is combined with a very good immune support of the body. After the introduction of these vaccines, a person will no longer get the flu, unless some new unrecognized virus appears.

If a person hesitates about which vaccine to choose - domestic or imported, qualified doctors usually recommend imported ones. They have more degrees of purification and the degree of purification is step-by-step, multi-stage. In addition, laboratory specialists carefully control all processes at any stage of vaccine production. So adverse reactions there is a minimum for these vaccines - an allergy does not occur even in children who are not yet a year old, as well as in pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.

The flu vaccine can save you a lot of trouble and save you a lot of work hours. Therefore, do not give up on it if you care about your health.

Influenza vaccine contraindications

Since the flu vaccine may use chicken protein (most commonly) or preservatives, it should not be administered to people who are allergic to these substances.

  • Do not administer influenza vaccine before six months of age
  • The vaccine is contraindicated in chronic diseases in the acute stage - then you need to wait another month after the person recovers and receives permission for vaccination from the doctor.
  • The vaccine should not be given to those who previously received the vaccine, but it was very difficult to tolerate it.
  • People who have had a cold or flu less than two weeks ago should not be vaccinated.

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You can get a flu shot with a variety of vaccines. In Russia, preparations from domestic manufacturers are mainly used, since the cost of them is lower. Every year the Ministry of Health approves various vaccine, depending on the strain of virus that is expected. But many people prefer to buy an imported vaccine, as it has better reviews. Which flu shot is better and better, why, as well as reviews of various manufacturers in one article.

Types of influenza vaccines

All vaccines include two strains of influenza. It consists of whole virus cells or split remnants of their vital activity. All drugs for influenza are conditionally divided into large types:

  • drugs based on live but weakened viruses, for example, domestic live dry from the manufacturer "Microgen";
  • inactivated or non-living, consist of the remnants of the vital activity of the virus.


Non-live vaccines are conditionally divided into 3 groups:

  • contain whole cells of the influenza virus - whole cell;
  • consist of split virus cells - Split vaccines (Grippol - Russian manufacturer, Fluarix - Belgian, Begrivak - Gersman, Vaxigrip - French);
  • consist of the surface protein of the virus - subunit (Grippol Plus - Russian manufacturers, Influvak - the Netherlands, Agrippol - Italy).

Split vaccines are more purified, they do not contain chick embryo protein and lipids. They do not cause an allergic reaction in children, but they form immunity worse than whole-cell ones.

In Russia, you can get vaccinated only with a licensed vaccine. Which vaccines are licensed and who their manufacturer can be considered in more detail in the table:

What will be done in a particular region for free depends on the choice of the regional Ministry of Health. As a rule, the regions try to support the domestic manufacturer and purchase vaccines from Microgen or Petrovax Pharm.

In terms of their qualities and characteristics, domestic ones are not inferior to imported ones, and their price is lower. Among the reviews, the most popular and safest French vaccine is Vaxigrip (by mistake, some write Vaxigrip). It is purified and does not contain allergens. But the price of the drug is not small, so if the child is allergic, the doctor will recommend purchasing the ampoule on their own.

Which vaccine can be trusted with your immunity and where can you get an injection?

The main indicator by which vaccines are compared is reactogenicity. An unpurified vaccine, even a high quality vaccine, has many side effects. Reactogenic, first of all, include live and vaccines based on whole cells of the virus. But on the other hand, these drugs have a higher ability to develop immunity in humans (75–85%).

The safest and well-forming immunity are slip preparations. They have a minimum number of adverse reactions and immunity is developed by 60-70%. These include the French Waxigrip and Grippol of a domestic manufacturer.

The composition of vaccines domestic production and French is not much different. It's just that the French graft is more purified and is made abroad. Hence the high price. Therefore, whether it is worth overpaying depends on you.

At the end of 2010, they began to develop a new generation drug based on whole virus cells, but with a smaller amount. side effects. Scientists need to ensure that immunity after vaccination is formed by 80-90%, and this can only be achieved using whole cells of the virus. But the development will take several decades.

In Russia, influenza vaccination is included in the calendar of obligatory preventive vaccinations and is held annually free of charge in polyclinics, at the expense of the regional budget. You can get vaccinated for a fee at any time, having agreed in advance with your doctor. But it is worth remembering that the specialist retains the right to refuse to give an injection if its quality or storage is doubtful. If the vaccine was not properly stored, then all sorts of complications are possible after vaccination, and sometimes a person is in danger of death.

Private organizations that care about their employees and enter into contracts with medical institutions. Vaccinations will be given to all employees on the job.

We do not recommend doing a free domestic flu shot in the following cases:

  • Allergy to chicken protein or individual intolerance.
  • Chronic diseases of the heart, lungs, stomach.
  • Exacerbation of chronic or viral, bacterial diseases.

Before vaccination, ask the doctor to show the documentation for the drug, ask what side effects can be expected. 2-3 days before injection start taking antihistamines, they will help the body and mitigate possible allergic reactions. And which drugs to choose - domestic or imported, depends on own desires and having extra money in your wallet.

Discussion: 13 comments

    Antivirals only plant immunity, in fact, they act on the virus only after it has already taken root, and there is no point in taking them for prevention. It is better to take the same barrier reef that kills the infection in the air, and there will be no harm to health.

    My answer is none! I love natural preparations, therefore, I chose Carmolis drops for prevention on essential oils!

    I agree with Victoria. For the prevention of influenza, I have also been drinking Karmolis drops for a long time. Very effective remedy I haven't had any colds for a long time

    I also use Karmolis drops during the flu period.

    I used Carmolis drops more than once. Inhalations with the help of them help to strengthen the immune system.

    An excellent remedy for flu drops of carmolis. I also use them

    You read and marvel at how many "Old Believers" we have)
    The effectiveness of vaccinations has been scientifically proven. If you want to minimize the risk of getting the flu and minimize the risk of complications after the flu, you must definitely get vaccinated before the epidemic season. If you do not want to get into the statistics, I strongly recommend that you healthy lifestyle life and listen to medical specialists, not girlfriends of girlfriends. They will advise.

    Any experience, even loved one HE IS INDIVIDUAL. And if I may say so, the tests were carried out on ONE person. And if it seemed to ONE person that PLACEBOLIS drops magically healed him, this does not mean that they will help EVERYONE. In this case, before the epidemic season, you would see ambulances coming out of the meters not with free flu shots, but with free drops of PLACEBOLIS). Influenza is not so bad, but there are "Old Believers" who KILL relatives and others with their advice in case of more serious illnesses.

    Without an APPROPRIATE MEDICAL EDUCATION, do not take on **** advising.

    Sincerely, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor K.A.O.

    Dear doctor, I have been watching the flu epidemic for ten years. And the most interesting and unpleasant thing is that only the vaccinated begin to spread the virus around them, and the epidemic begins. I always treat myself, my children and my grandson with immunomodulating agents prescribed by the doctor according to the scheme. flu tends to mutate and no one ever knows what form of flu you can get.

    Dear (Aya) anonymous, I am glad that you are being treated with immunomodulatory drugs (aka dietary supplements) or biologically active additives. In addition to our country, there is no such disgrace with dietary supplements anywhere in any country. Find me one clinical trial proving a pseudo-immunomodulatory effect. Did you also do BCG to your children and yourself? Will you treat tuberculosis with herbs and decoctions too?

    Anonymous, you're not talking nonsense. In 9 cases out of 10, it is known which virus will come during the epidemic. Of course, there remains a 10% chance that the virus will mutate or acquire new properties shortly before entering the country and doctors will not be able to react to it, but in 9 cases out of 10 everything is just predictable, because the ways of spreading the disease are known in advance.
    The danger of the flu is not even in the flu itself, but in the fact that after it the immune system is greatly weakened and after suffering the flu and leaving the hospital, you actually run the risk of catching the same tuberculosis or some other serious illness without immunity, which in a normal state of immunity to you would did not cling.
    Immuno-modulating agents will not help you from the virus. If it were possible to drink according to the immuno-modulator scheme and not get sick, then no flu and epidemics would have existed for a long time.

    How strains are generally predicted in the ministry is a muddy story.
    He had not been vaccinated for two years, at first he fell ill with ARVI, after normalization, after 3 days, the influenza virus of the N-type sharply broke through, and the temperature on the first day was not very high and was localized in the lungs, plus there was a tolerable burning sensation. It's too late to drink antiviral, do inhalation antiviral agent- Get the hell out of here. For 3 days he suffered with a slightly elevated tempera and severe weakness with bouts of dry cough. Plus hallucinations with nasty smells.
    I would understand that I was not vaccinated - it’s my own fault BUT WHAT the hell are 2 student cohabitants in the room after 1-2 days abruptly passed out with the same symptoms (but even more high temperature) WHEN THEY COME TO THE VACCINATION. Why is the Ministry of Health colitis and how the grandmothers are sawing, that they don’t even see a weakening of the symptoms, but on the contrary, in comparison with my weakened ARVI immunity, they have more cough and a higher temperature?

    (although there may be success in the fact that literally from the first school years I never bring down the temperature, but rather wrap myself up and regulate between pleasant 38 and confusing consciousness 40, of course, keeping a bottle of cool water and a phone nearby)

    They flew in, doctors, crowed ... inoculate your children with Russian non-working shit against the flu. Type B virus does not mutate, only a four-component vaccine, which is not registered in Russia, works with the rest.
    And you continue to "treat" gullible tales.

    Milovita, go to Milovista and buy yourself panties.

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