Not all flu shots are created equally, and it’s especially important for older people to get the right kind, according to a federal advisory board.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that people aged 65 and older get one of three particular types of influenza vaccines.
This committee is responsible for making vaccine recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The committee based its recommendation on a review of studies that suggest that higher-dose shots are more effective than other flu vaccines for seniors
The CDC notes that older people are disproportionately affected by severe flu cases, explaining:
“This increased risk is due in part to changes in immune defenses with increasing age. … In recent years, for example, it’s estimated that between 70% and 85% of seasonal flu-related deaths have occurred in people 65 years and older, and between 50% and 70% of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations have occurred among people in this age group.”
The three types of flu vaccines recommended for people aged 65 and older are:
- Fluzone High-Dose Seasonal Influenza Vaccine, an inactivated influenza vaccine. It contains four times more antigen than standard-dose inactivated flu vaccines. The antigen is what helps the body build up protection against flu viruses.
- Recombinant influenza vaccines, which do not use the influenza virus in the manufacturing process. One example of a recombinant flu vaccine is Flublok.
- Adjuvanted influenza vaccines, which are sold under the brand names Fluad and Fluad Quadrivalent. Both are standard-dose inactivated flu vaccines but contain an adjuvant, an ingredient that helps create a stronger immune response to vaccination.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices does not recommend any of the three types of vaccines more highly than the other two for people aged 65 and older. It simply advises that older adults get one of those three instead of other flu shots.
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