Flu vaccine: your questions answered
As the government admits there have been some local shortages in flu vaccines, we ask one scientist to answer your questions. Professor John Oxford is a virologist and an expert on flu.
Who should get a flu vaccine?
The swine virus – the H1N1 seems to be attacking younger people. The over-65s who normally receive the vaccine – they’re safe and sound – so we concentrate on the young age group which are the most difficult to get.
Within that 0-4 year old age group those at more special risk – obese, asthmatic – they should be given priority.
What about pregnant women?
Pregnant women are certainly in everyone’s risk group – we’ve known that since the beginning of 2009. We know pregnant women can get into difficulty because their immune systems are suppressed so they’re vulnerable.
What evidence is there that the vaccine does not harm unborn babies?
There’s masses of evidence because millions of pregnant women have received it around the world. It’s been proven to be a safe vaccine. No one’s died or got seriously ill as a result of the vaccine but 200 million years of life have been lost by people that weren’t vaccinated. The virus is dangerous, the vaccine is perfectly safe.
How can I protect myself from flu?
I view this like a battlefield. It’s like the seond world war. There are three layers of defence.
The first layer is the vaccine. The second layer is the anti-viral drugs so if people aren’t vaccinated in comes the Tamiflu.
The third layer is the home front and too little is made of that. That’s at the heart of the government’s campaign, it’s a bit late but better late than never. So this is the hand washing, not coughing out because you’re infecting people.
Don’t get it yourself, move away from someone who’s coughing and if you have got it don’t spread it.
Is this year’s flu strain more serious than during other years?
As a virologist we’re asking the questions: is this virus changing genetically? Is it changing from it’s antigen structure? Is it becoming more resistant to the antiviral drugs so that tells us this virus is no more deadly, no more virulent than it was a year ago, it’s just infecting more people.
That may be because the first wave last year was in the summer and that’s not the best time for a virus on the move. Now it’s the dominent virus, all of us are close together and it’s the winter period and it’s on the move.
If I had the swine flu vaccine last year do I still need the flu vaccine this year?
If someone was vaccinated last year I don’t think they need to be re-vaccinated this year. We’re talking about young healthy people here, not 80 year olds whose immunity might drop off. If they had a boost in the vaccine last year that will carry them through this year.
Next year, as the virus runs out of susceptibles, it might be forced to change and then the vaccine might have to change but this year the virus has not changed at all.
What should I do if my GP runs out of vaccine?
I don’t see why GPs should run out of vaccine. An individual may but if you press them a little I’m sure they can get one from the next practice.
In an Armageddon situation where the whole of England ran out of vaccine then surely we could buy some from Europe. This vaccine is being used all over Europe and since the swine virus is not causing much problem in Europe I suspect there’s a surplus and we could get it from there quite easily.
How vulnerable are babies under six months that cannot have the vaccine but are already ill?
A baby under the age of six months has carried over some immunity from the mum. Also, all of us have the least experience of vaccines in that age group. One depends on the immune package coming over from the mum. I don’t think there’s much one can do this year about vaccinating the under six months so all the effort will be vaccinating children over 6 months up to age of four or five.