Can I get an influenza vaccination if I have an egg allergy?
Yes. You may get any influenza vaccine this season.
In previous seasons it was recommended that people with a severe egg allergy should get vaccinated with a product that did not utilize eggs in the production - this is no longer the case.
Recent studies have shown that even individuals with confirmed egg allergy can safely receive the flu vaccine.
The Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology and the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics state that no special precautions are required for the administration of influenza vaccine to egg-allergic patients no matter how severe the egg allergy. In fact, guidelines now state that it is not necessary to ask about egg allergy prior to the administration of any influenza vaccine, including on screening forms.
How effective are the influenza vaccines?
The effectiveness of the influenza vaccine varies year to year. Studies from the southern hemisphere suggest they will be over 50% effective at preventing hospitalizations.
References for “Tis the Season for Respiratory Illnesses”: Influenza
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