Aside from the dismal feeling we experience from the grippe, loss of work time can be costly. So, many adults get the vaccine to maximize their chances of not missing work days. If you are unsure about the appropriateness of influenza vaccine for yourself, contact your physician. Generally healthy children are not encouraged to receive influenza vaccine, unless they fall into one of the categories listed above for adults. Examples of underlying medical conditions that would necessitate immunization for children include significant asthma, diabetes, seizures, cystic fibrosis or other chronic lung disease, adrenal insufficiency or metabolic disorders, congenital heart disease, immunologic insufficiency states, metabolic muscle diseases and malignancies.
Any medical intervention has risks.
The risk of influenza vaccine varies from simple side effects to serious allergic reactions. It should not be given to those who have a significant reaction to egg white or who are allergic to any of the components of the vaccine. A newer, safer, more effective influenza vaccine is under current development. It is administered by nose drops, lasts about 5 years and has only a drippy nose as a side effect. Unfortunately, this new vaccine is not yet available for general use.