Couverture de Dr Robert Hess announces the flu season is just around the corner

Dr Robert Hess announces the flu season is just around the corner

Dr Robert Hess announces the flu season is just around the corner

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 What you need to know about the influenza season in general and high-dose vaccines in particular. Social distancing, face coverings and strict hygiene controls not only reduced the spread of SARS-CoV-2 last year but also of influenza viruses. Flu activity is currently still at a low level, but nonetheless slightly higher than at this time in previous years. Researchers and authorities in the USA and Europe are predicting that a particularly virulent wave of influenza will hit the northern hemisphere in the winter months of 2021/22 and are therefore advising senior citizens to get a shot of the relatively new high-dose vaccines. What exactly are high-dose vaccines? And what can we expect from this year’s crop of flu vaccines? Are we really in for a tough flu winter? When a vaccinated or recovered individual is next exposed to the relevant pathogen, his or her immune system learns to attack in a speedier and more targeted manner. Last year, the flu season failed to materialize, and our immune systems missed out on the annual refresher course in combating the flu. Consequently, the influenza viruses may find it easier to spread this winter. Moreover, in the absence of the customary training, individuals are also less able to defend themselves against the flu because their own immune response is no longer as broad and effective. This is certainly the case for the unvaccinated. Which flu vaccines will be deployed in the 2021/22 season? Multiple influenza vaccines from different manufacturers are available in the USA and Europe. All vaccines contain the antigens specified by the WHO. Most licensed influenza vaccines for children and adults are of the inactivated kind, containing “killed” viruses or virus components, the only exception being Fluenz Tetra which is an inhaled live vaccine. The so-called tetravalent (alternatively quadrivalent) influenza vaccines protect against four different virus subtypes, namely H3N2, H1N1 (both of influenza A origin) and the two influenza B pathogens. In Germany, a high-dose vaccine is now recommended for the first time this season for people aged 60 and above. In the United States, the high-dose flu vaccine has already been available since 2019. Containing four times the number of antigens, it could make a big difference in the coming winter season. Generally, any influenza vaccine takes up to 14 days to build up full protection. What is the high-dose vaccine? In Germany, the high-dose influenza vaccine goes by the name of Efluelda and is manufactured by Sanofi-Pasteur. Like the other influenza vaccines being made available this season, Efluelda is of the tetravalent variety and contains the vaccine antigens of the influenza strains as recommended by the World Health Organization. However, the dose of antigens is four times higher than in conventional influenza vaccines (i.e. 60 µg instead of 15 µg of hemagglutinin) for each of the four influenza strains. The EU Commission approved Efluelda for people aged 65 and over in May 2020, which was then extended to everyone aged 60 and over in February 2021. It is therefore fully compliant with the directions of the German Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO). In the USA, Sanofi already markets the high-dose flu vaccine under the name Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine. It was approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in July 2019. Sanofi Pasteur also previously had a high-dose flu vaccine in the USA, but it only protected against three strains of influenza. The trade name was Fluzone High Dose.
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