Have you taken FLU SHOT this season? (UPDATE 2020)
Get vaccinated against preventable diseases like influenza and pneumonia!
Influenza and pneumonia vaccines are available since many years which prevents deadly infections of various pneumococcal bacteria strains and influenza viruses.
This update is summary of latest recommendation by expert group for vaccination in INDIA.
What is Vaccination?
Vaccination is a simple, safe, and effective way of protecting people against harmful diseases, before they come into contact with them. It uses your body’s natural defenses to build resistance to specific infections and makes your immune system stronger.
Vaccines train your immune system to create antibodies, just as it does when it’s exposed to a disease. However, because vaccines contain only killed or weakened forms of germs like viruses or bacteria, they do not cause the disease or put you at risk of its complications.
Most vaccines are given by an injection, but some are given orally (by mouth) or sprayed into the nose.
Influenza Vaccination in INDIA.
Vaccination is an indispensable preventive strategy against influenza, suitable for all adults, needed specifically for individuals who live with or care for high-risk individuals,
- a. Older Adults (>50 years)
- b. Pregnant Women
- c. Children
- d. Individuals with Chronic Medical Conditions.
Use of quadrivalent Inactivated influenza vaccine over trivalent IIV in developing nations such as India is recommended.
Influenza vaccination for individuals with egg allergy and previous history of Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS)?
Inform your doctor so that based on your allergic reaction / GBS history he can advice for / against taking influenza vaccine.
Pneumococcal vaccination in INDIA.
Adults Aged 19–64 Years
A. Pneumococcal vaccination is usually not recommended for healthy adults under the age of 65 years.
B. In immunocompetent patients with chronic conditions such as
- 1. chronic heart disease
- 2. chronic liver disease
- 3. poorly controlled diabetes mellitus
- 4. chronic lung disease
- 5. current smokers
- 6. alcohol abuse
A single dose of PCV13 followed by PPSV23 ≥8 weeks later is recommended.
C. In adults with a
- 7. History of invasive pneumococcal disease
- 8. cochlear implants
- 9. cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak
- 10. impaired splenic function (anatomic asplenia or hyposplenism)
- 11. sickle cell disease or other hemoglobinopathy
- 12. functional asplenia or hyposplenism),
A single dose of PCV13 followed by PPSV23 ≥8 weeks later is recommended.
D. In all immunocompromised individuals, such as those with
- 13. HIV infection,
- 14. Iatrogenic Immunosuppression,
- 15. Chronic kidney disease
- 16. Hematologic Malignancy
- 17. Other solid tumor malignancies with or without metastasis
- 18. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and solid‑organ transplantation
A single dose of PCV13 followed by PPSV23 ≥8 weeks later is recommended.
In pregnancy, through there is no specific recommendation for pneumococcal vaccines due to lack of safety data.
Adult aged 65 years and above
- Vaccination with PPSV23 in all adults above 65 years of age is recommended.
- Those who fits into above categories B & C, PCV13 followed by PPSV23 ≥8 weeks later is recommended
Source: Dhar R, Ghoshal AG, Guleria R, Sharma S, Kulkarni T, Swarnakar R, et al. Clinical practice guidelines 2019: Indian consensus‑based recommendations on pneumococcal vaccination for adults. Lung India 2020;37:S19-29.
