Tag Archives: Flu shot

What you need to know about the flu vaccine (and donating blood) this year

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By Sam Pudelski, American Red Cross volunteer 

Fall is here, and along with it comes flu season. If you are a regular blood donor, you may have questions about the flu shot and if it will affect your ability to donate blood (Spoiler alert: it doesn’t!). Even if you donate blood less frequently or you have not donated before, the American Red Cross of Northern Ohio answers some common questions about getting the flu vaccine and shares what you need to know about donating blood this fall and winter. 

Why should people get their annual flu vaccine? 

  • Getting your yearly flu shot is the best line of defense against the flu. If you do get sick, your symptoms might not be as severe if you are vaccinated. 
  • While some people may think getting the flu is no big deal, it can be serious – even for those who are healthy. 
  • Vaccination to prevent influenza is especially important for people who are at high risk for developing serious complications from the flu. Members of their household or those who are in close, frequent contact with individuals who are high risk should get vaccinated. 

Who should get the flu vaccine? 

  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone six months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every season, with rare exceptions. 
  • There are different flu vaccines approved for different age groups and for some people, like those who are pregnant or have certain chronic health conditions. 
  • If you have any questions, talk to your primary care provider. 

What do I need to know about the flu vaccine and donating blood? 

March 11, 2019. Monroe Carell Jr Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, Tennessee. Photographs from blood bank at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, blood donations at Red Cross on Monday, March 11, 2019 in Nashville, Tenn. Photo by Sanford Myers/American Red Cross
  • Getting the flu vaccine helps to support a healthy community and ensure that patients have access to lifesaving blood products year round. 
  • When you get a flu shot, you don’t need to defer or delay your next blood donation. 
  • If you do get the flu, it is important to wait until you no longer exhibit symptoms and have recovered completely before attempting to donate. 

Can I get my flu shot and COVID-19 shot at the same time? 

  • It is safe to get your flu and COVID-19 vaccination shots at the same time.  
  • Talk to your health care provider to see if you are eligible to get your COVID booster or if you have any questions. 

Where can I get a flu vaccine? 

There are several places that offer flu shots in our community. You can check with your local pharmacy or schedule an appointment with your primary care provider’s office to get your vaccine. Additionally, some local county public health departments may offer flu vaccine clinics. Check your local county health department’s website for more information.  

How frequently can you donate blood? 

Have you considered donating blood this year? If so, you should know that you can donate more than once per year. You can provide whole blood donations every eight weeks (56 days), up to six times per year. You must wait 16 weeks (112 days) between Power Red donations. Platelet donors can give every seven days, up to 24 times per year. Plasma donors can give every 28 days, up to 13 times per year. As a thank-you, all who come to give Oct. 16-31, 2022, will receive a $10 e-Gift Card by email to a merchant of choice. 

The Red Cross holds blood drives across Northern Ohio regularly. You can help save lives by giving blood. To find an upcoming blood drive near you, visit www.redcross.org/give-blood.  

Edited By Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer 

Posted by Ryan Lang, American Red Cross board member and volunteer

You can give blood even after getting a flu shot

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Vaccination Does Not Prevent Blood Donation

October 16, 2019- Flu season is underway, and it is expected that more than half of the U.S. population will get a flu vaccine this year according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID). However, the American Red Cross does not defer individuals from donating blood after receiving the influenza vaccine if they are symptom-free and meet all other donation eligibility requirements.

Did you read that?  You can still give blood, even after getting a flu shot!

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Important Flu and Blood Facts

The flu vaccine can be administered by a flu shot or intranasal. Neither are cause for a blood donation deferral and there is no risk of transmitting the influenza virus after receiving the vaccine. Additionally, influenza virus has not been shown to be transmitted through blood transfusion.

If you have the flu, it is important to wait until you no longer have symptoms and have recovered completely before attempting to donate. All blood donors must feel healthy and well on the day of donation.

Preventing the Flu

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), millions of people in this country get sick with flu every year, hundreds of thousands are hospitalized and, unfortunately, tens of thousands die. The best way to help avoid getting influenza is to get vaccinated every year.

While seasonal influenza (flu) viruses are detected year-round in the United States, flu viruses are most common during the fall and winter. Influenza activity often begins to increase in October and most times peaks between December and February, although activity can last as late as May. It takes about two weeks after receiving your vaccine for the antibodies that protect against flu to develop in the body so it’s important to get your vaccine now.

The CDC recommends that everyone be vaccinated by the end of October. Children 6 months through 8 years of age who need 2 doses should receive their first dose as soon as possible after vaccine becomes available to allow the second dose (which must be administered at least 4 weeks later) to be received by the end of October.

AT HIGH RISK FOR FLU:

  • Adults 65 years and older
  • Children younger than 2 years old – although all children younger than 5 years old are considered at high risk for serious flu complications, the highest risk is for those younger than 2 years old, with the highest hospitalization and death rates among infants younger than 6 months old.
  • Pregnant women and women up to 2 weeks after the end of pregnancy
  • People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities

The CDC also reports people with the following health and age factors are also at an increased risk of getting serious complications from the flu:

  • Asthma
  • Neurologic and neurodevelopment conditions
  • Blood disorders
  • Chronic lung disease
  • Endocrine disorders
  • Heart disease
  • Kidney disorders
  • Liver disorders
  • Metabolic disorders
  • People who are obese with a body mass index [BMI] of 40 or higher
  • People younger than 19 years of age on long-term aspirin- or salicylate-containing medications.
  • People with a weakened immune system due to disease or medications

Flu vaccine is available now in many locations such as your doctor’s office, pharmacies, grocery stores and health departments. Your vaccine will help protect you throughout the 2019-2020 flu season.

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DO I HAVE THE FLU? The common signs of influenza are high fever, severe body aches, headache, being extremely tired, sore throat, cough, runny or stuffy nose and vomiting and/or diarrhea (which is more common in children). If you think you have the flu, call your health care provider. Seek immediate care if you have any of these symptoms:

  • Fast breathing, trouble breathing or bluish skin color.
  • Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen (adults).
  • Confusion or sudden dizziness.
  • Not drinking enough fluids, not being able to eat, or severe or persistent vomiting.
  • Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough.
  • Not waking up, being so irritable that the child does not want to be held or not interacting (children).
  • Fever with a rash (children).
  • No tears when crying or significantly fewer wet diapers than normal (children).

 YOU CAN HELP STOP THE FLU FROM SPREADING

  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing and throw the tissue away after use. If a tissue isn’t available, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands.
  • Wash hands often, especially after coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand-sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home if you’re sick.

More information about how to help keep you and your loved ones protected from the flu is available on this website and in the free Red Cross First Aid App. See all the Red Cross apps at redcross.org/mobileapps.

How Healthy Individuals Can Donate Blood

Learn more about how to stay healthy this flu season so you can help patients in need. You can find more information about preventing the flu at redcross.org, as well as receive guidance on the flu from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Schedule an appointment to give blood with the American Red Cross by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, calling 1-800-RED-CROSS or activating the Blood Scheduling Skill for Amazon Alexa.

All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in.

You must be 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and be in generally good health to be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

You can save time at your next donation by using RapidPass® to complete your pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of your donation, before arriving at the blood drive or donation center. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

The Aches, the Chills, the Pail Next to the Couch

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Understanding the flu can help you protect yourself and your family

By Brad Galvan, American Red Cross Communications Volunteer

Nothing can take a healthy person (or a family) down quicker than the flu. This year, hospitals have been filling up with patients who are suffering from the symptoms of the flu. The dreaded influenza (flu) bug is described by the Center for Disease Control as a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. It’s primarily spread when people cough, sneeze or talk. We are all at risk, but children and the elderly are impacted the most.

Do your part to remain healthy and to keep others safe

Building Resilient Communities in Colombia January 2014

Jana Sweeny
receives her annual flu shot at a
mobile health brigade in La
Guajira, Colombia         Photo credit: Roberto Brito de la Cuesta/American Red Cross 

 

Physicians recommend the flu shot for everyone over six months old. Ideally, the vaccination is done prior to ‘flu season,’ but it’s never too late. The vaccination is meant to protect you from the common strains of influenza. Although encouraged (and sometimes required by some workplaces, including hospitals), it’s not perfect. So what else can you do?

Debra Fast, DO, an MDVIP-affiliated internist who practices in Wooster, Ohio, says, “Aside from the annual vaccine, the most important way to prevent flu is frequent hand washing with soap and water especially prior to eating and avoidance of hand shaking. Most studies regarding taking vitamins like high dose Vitamin C for prevention of colds and flu show no benefit. Instead, we know that eating well-balanced meals and sleeping seven to eight hours a night is a great way to rejuvenate and boost your immune system.”

You unfortunately caught it – what should you do?

If you begin to feel the symptoms of the flu, it’s important to see a healthcare provider. Some antiviral drugs can help shorten the duration and reduce the severity of the symptoms. You should also do your best to stay away from others, drink plenty of liquids and rest. Once you begin to feel better, replace toothbrushes and use disinfectant sprays on everyday objects such as cell phones, remotes, door knobs, etc., that you come into contact with.

You’ve avoided the flu. Hooray! How can you help those that aren’t so lucky?

This year’s flu has caused an influx of patients to be admitted to hospitals. Those patients can contract additional complications and could need the gift of your blood – consider donating to the American Red Cross. https://www.redcrossblood.org/