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Flu prevention

Reading time: 4 min

The most effective preventive measure against flu infection are annual vaccinations. The annual flu vaccine is recommended from the age of 6 months onwards. Vaccination reduces the general population’s risk of contracting influenza by 40–60%. If a vaccinated person does catch flu, then they will have milder symptoms.

A new influenza vaccine is made available every autumn because the virus changes every year and so an updated vaccine is released to protect against this year’s prevalent strain of virus. Vaccination helps prevent you from becoming infected and stops the virus spreading through the community.

What does the flu vaccine contain?

Flu vaccines contain three or four strains of influenza virus: two strains of the type A influenza virus and one or two strains of type B. This vaccine composition includes protection against the types of influenza that are most likely to be circulating throughout the flu season.

The influenza vaccine is prepared by cultivating the viruses in embryonated chicken eggs, then subjecting them to inactivation and fractionation.

Every year, the World Health Organization publishes new recommendations on the contents of the flu vaccine based on epidemiological surveillance data.

In adults, the inactivated vaccine is administered via an intramuscular or subcutaneous injection in the upper arm. In children, the flu vaccine is given intramuscularly in the thigh.

Recommendations are for just one dose of vaccine, but children receiving their first influenza vaccination should be given two doses separated by a 4‑week interval.

Who should get vaccinated?

Vaccination is primarily recommended for those people with the greatest risk of developing complications if they become infected with influenza and those who are in frequent contact with others that have a high risk of infection.

Infantes

A partir de los dos años, la vacuna preferente es la internasal. Una dosi es suficiente. En infantes de especial riesgo que se vacunen por primera vez, puede ser necesaria una segunda dosi (separada por 4 semanas).

La vacuna se recomienda a:

Position of the premature baby

Todos los infantes de entre 6 y 59 meses de edad.

Infant older than six months

Infantes a partir de 6 meses de edad con enfermedades de base que incrementen el riesgo de complicaciones de la gripe (consultar al profesional sanitario).

Baby sleeping with his older brother

Infantes de a partir de 6 meses que convivan con pacientes con riesgo o con otros niños.

Adults

Woman growing older from childhood to old age

Personas de 60 años o más.

Three people which two of them are talking

Personas a partir de 5 años internas en residencias de personas mayores y centros para personas con discapacidad, así como otras personas institucionalizadas de larga duración y residentes en instituciones cerradas.

Two adults talking and communicating with a child

Personas menores de 60 años (incluidos niños a partir de 6 meses) con condiciones de riesgo.

Increasing depression

Personas con inmunosupresión.

Pregnant woman

Mujeres embarazadas en cualquier trimestre de gestación y mujeres que han tenido un hijo o hija en los últimos 6 meses.

Three Aspirins

Personas de 5 a 18 años que reciben tratamiento prolongado con ácido acetilsalicílico.

Cigarette

Personas fumadoras.

Autoimmune disease

Personas con enfermedad celíaca.

Cerebrospinal fluid circulation obstruction

Personas con fístula de líquido cefalorraquídeo (un líquido que rodea y protege el cerebro y la médula espinal) e implante coclear o en espera de dicho implante.

Teenagers man and woman

Personas de cualquier edad (siempre mayores de seis meses) institucionalizadas de forma prolongada.

Standing doctor pointing at a notepad with a clinical history

Personas que pueden transmitir la gripe a aquellas que tienen un alto riesgo de presentar complicaciones:

  • Trabajadores de la salud, tanto en el ámbito privado como público, especialmente aquellos profesionales que atienden pacientes de grupos de alto riesgo.
  • Personas que trabajan en instituciones geriátricas o en centros de atención a pacientes crónicos, especialmente los que tienen contacto continuo con personas vulnerables.
  • Personas que proporcionan cuidados domiciliarios a pacientes de alto riesgo o personas mayores.
  • Estudiantes en prácticas en centros sanitarios.
  • Otros grupos: trabajadores de cuerpos y fuerzas de seguridad del Estado, bomberos, protección civil, funcionarios de instituciones penitenciarias y personal de emergencias sanitarias.
Sun, wind, rain and waves as environmental factors

Personas con exposición laboral directa a aves domésticas o cerdos, así como a aves silvestres u otra fauna salvaje.

Nursery with a baby and the teacher

Personal docente, especialmente en guarderías y centros de educación infantil (menores de 5 años).

Who should not get vaccinated?

Anyone who experiences a severe allergic reaction (angioedema, difficulty breathing, dizziness), hives upon exposure to eggs, can be vaccinated against flu. On the other hand, the flu vaccine is contraindicated in anyone who has presented a severe allergic reaction to the flu vaccine, regardless of the suspected component. Infants under 6 months must not be vaccinated, nor should anyone with an acute fever until they present a full recovery.

Side effects of the Flu vaccine

The most common side effects after vaccination are pain at the injection site and aching muscles. Children may develop fever, malaise and aching muscles. These side effects usually disappear within 48 hours.

Preventive measures for people with the flu

People, and their companions, who have signs or symptoms compatible with some type of respiratory infection that could be transmitted and who visit a healthcare centre (hospitalisation, accident and emergency, day hospital, outpatient clinic, etc.) should take the following preventive measures:

Woman with mask

Patients with a cough must wear a surgical mask while they wait to be seen and throughout the entire period they are receiving healthcare.

Tissue box

Use single-use tissues to cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.

Litter bin

Throw used tissues in the wastebasket provided for this purpose.

Wash hands with water and a bar of soap

Practice good hand hygiene. Use soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizers after sneezing or touching respiratory secretions.

Watch out for a tear

Shouldn't touch the mucous membranes of eyes or nose if you have dirty hands.

Read more Evolution of the disease
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Substantiated information by:

Antoni Trilla
Gemina Santana
Marta Aldea

Published: 10 March 2020
Updated: 10 March 2020

The donations that can be done through this webpage are exclusively for the benefit of Hospital Clínic of Barcelona through Fundació Clínic per a la Recerca Biomèdica and not for BBVA Foundation, entity that collaborates with the project of PortalClínic.

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