Flu Season and Vaccinations – What You Need to Know

COVID-19 has been around since March and now we are entering Fall and “flu season.”

It’s strongly recommended that everyone over the age of six months of age or with compromised immune systems get the vaccination in hopes of preventing them from getting the flu.

But there are different vaccines, so which one should you get?

Here is some information about flu vaccines and the difference between the “high dose” quadrivalent vaccine and the regular quadrivalent and trivalent vaccines.   The high dose contains 4 times the amount of antigen as a regular dose which is what induces the immune response in your body that leads to increased production of antibodies.  The high dose is recommended for people over the age of 65 to better protect them against the flu which evidence shows about a 24% higher effectiveness in flu prevention versus the regular dose.

The reason that a high dose exists for people over 65 is because this age group is at the highest risk for flu-related deaths and have a poorer immune response to flu vaccines.

In 2019, the effectiveness of the flu shot was around 45% but there is evidence that those who did get the flu after receiving a flu shot experienced milder symptoms.

Sadler Hughes Apothecary currently has a supply of the quadrivalent and high dose quadrivalent vaccines available and can provide vaccinations inside the pharmacy or at your vehicle if that is more convenient for a customer.

If you have any questions, give us a call at 864.833.4000.

Sadler Hughes Apothecary is a locally owned business that has proudly been a part of the Clinton community for over 100 years. We provide medication therapy management, vaccinations, and medical equipment in addition to our medication expertise. For more information about services provided go visit the website.