Who Should Not Get a Flu Shot

Who Should Not Get a Flu Shot from Millennium Medical Care Reston in Reston, VAGetting a flu shot every year is a good way to prevent severe bouts of flu. Even so, some people cannot have this type of preventive health measure. If you want to know who should not receive a flu shot, here are the details.

Infants below six months old

Flu vaccines are not approved for babies this young. That is why it is crucial for a pregnant woman to get a flu vaccine. The antibodies the developing fetus gets from the mother will be enough to give partial protection against flu. However, the newborn baby will still need more protection against the flu. Primary care providers and family members should get flu shots as well. Otherwise, they should not get close to the newborn.

Flu vaccines are not approved for babies this young. That is why it is crucial for a pregnant woman to get a flu vaccine. The antibodies the developing fetus gets from the mother will be enough to give partial protection against flu. However, the newborn baby will still need more protection against the flu. Primary care providers and family members should get flu shots as well. Otherwise, they should not get close to the newborn.

Individuals with severe allergic reactions to flu vaccines

A person who went to an urgent care facility because of a life-threatening reaction to a flu shot before cannot have it again. The same applies if the individual also had an allergic reaction to the flu vaccine components. Body reactions to vaccine ingredients like antibiotics and gelatin are always possible. Most flu vaccines have egg protein. Even so, people with egg allergies can still get the shot. Getting the flu vaccine from urgent care facilities will enable healthcare providers to monitor them as the vaccine circulates.

GBS (Guillain-Barre syndrome) patients

People with a history of GBS should refrain from getting a flu shot. This condition targets the PNS (peripheral nervous system). It causes muscle weakness. In extreme cases, GBS results in paralysis. The exact cause of this syndrome is still unknown. But about two-thirds of patients develop it after getting a respiratory disease or diarrhea.

Some individuals also develop GBS after a flu shot. But it only happens to one or two people. A person with a history of this syndrome should talk to the attending physician first before getting the vaccine to prevent unwanted reactions.

Very sick people

Patients with pneumonia, high fever, or any illness leading to hospitalization cannot take the flu shot until full recovery. The vaccine will not be as effective if the person gets it while still fighting severe illness. It may even prolong the period of illness. Upon vaccination, the body will build up antibodies to fight the flu strain. It would take away the body’s resources to fight the current illness.

Getting the flu shot right after recovery will be a good time to build resistance to the flu. The attending physician should give the green light for this. A person with a mild cold can get the vaccine. This will help the body fight off the developing flu.

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A flu shot with your doctor’s green light can keep you from getting sick

Flu vaccines can help your body fight different flu strains. You and your family can get them from urgent care centers. This is an annual vaccine. Some individuals can get it, while others cannot. Discussing this matter with your doctor can determine when you should take the vaccine or if there is an alternative for you.

Request an appointment or call Millennium Medical Care Reston at 703-440-7000 for an appointment in our Reston office.

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