Dr. Blereau tells of changes to flu shot recommendations

EDITOR’S NOTE: This an article by local Centers for Disease Control Sentinel Physician Dr. Robert P. Blereau of Morgan City.
The Centers for Disease Control has made two major changes in this year’s flu vaccine recommendations.
The intranasal vaccine is not recommended for use this season.
This is based on poor performance of this vaccine during the past three flu seasons.
During the 2015-16 flu season, the intranasal vaccine was only 3 percent effective compared to 63 percent for the injected vaccine.
The reason for its decreased effectiveness is not known, but did begin with the addition of a second flu B strain into the vaccine.
The second major change regards egg allergy.
Persons allergic to eggs are not more likely to develop rash, itching, anaphylaxis or other hypersensitivity reaction to the flu vaccine compared to people without a history of allergy to eggs.
It is felt that the amount of egg protein in the flu vaccine is too minute to produce an allergic reaction.
If a person has had a severe allergic reaction to eggs, such as anaphylaxis, there is an egg-free vaccine that can be used.