Flu shot question

[nycheryl 0]

Hello!

My fiance is getting ready for his medical exam (K-1), and we're trying to decipher the shots he needs. Does he need to get a flu shot before he goes to his exam? He had one in 2009, but I'm assuming that won't work.

I'm concerned because he needs Hep A, pneumococcal, rotavirus, and varicella. I've heard you can get the flu shot and the varicella on the same day, but otherwise he needs 30 days separating the shots.

Thanks in advance!

[Inky 1,110]

No reason for the varicella if hes had chicken pox before.

Be sure to check the list it depends on age - http://www.panelphysicians.com/Pages/Immunizations.htm

[sheeshkabelle 153]

I'm assuming he's between the ages of 18-64.

Doctors assume that you've had all your childhood vaccines or you've been exposed to the virus at some point in life.

All he needs to get is:

Td or DTAP booster- if he hasn't had a booster in the last 10 years

MMR booster- if he didn't get one at 17

Verbal declaration of chicken pox (Varicella) or proof of vaccination

influenza- because it's flu season

He can get all these shots on the same day. But he's going to have a sore arm from the DTAP!

What he doesn't need:

Hep A is now given at birth- those of us older folks don't have it or need it

pneumococcal for pneumonia- adults over the age of 65 or people with respiratory issues

rotavirus was given at birth- he doesn't need another one

Meningococcal- Meningitis- given at birth- no more are needed

Edited February 8, 2012 by sheeshkabelle

[nycheryl 0]

I'm assuming he's between the ages of 18-64.

Doctors assume that you've had all your childhood vaccines or you've been exposed to the virus at some point in life.

All he needs to get is:

Td or DTAP booster- if he hasn't had a booster in the last 10 years

MMR booster- if he didn't get one at 17

Verbal declaration of chicken pox (Varicella) or proof of vaccination

influenza- because it's flu season

He can get all these shots on the same day. But he's going to have a sore arm from the DTAP!

What he doesn't need:

Hep A is now given at birth- those of us older folks don't have it or need it

pneumococcal for pneumonia- adults over the age of 65 or people with respiratory issues

rotavirus was given at birth- he doesn't need another one

Meningococcal- Meningitis- given at birth- no more are needed

Thank you! I appreciate your feedback and the list! (Yes, he's over 18 and under 64 )

Unfortunately, he's not had chicken pox. That's where this gets tricky. I don't know if he can get that vaccine and influenza at the same time. I was hoping he could, but I'm hearing conflicting things.

Edited February 9, 2012 by nycheryl

[sheeshkabelle 153]

(we just went over this in class yesterday!)

That depends on if he gets the 'live', intranasal live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), the flumist nasal inhalant, or if they give him the 'dead', trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV), the injection.

He can get the Varicella vaccine on the same visit with the TIV. Some doctors might wait a week or two. If your husband has never had a reaction to any vaccines there shouldn't be a problem.

To be on the safe side, have him go ASAP to get a flu vaccine. And then he can get the MMR and DTAP at his medical.

How in the world did he not manage to get chicken pox as a child? lol

[KTandTommy 31]

How in the world did he not manage to get chicken pox as a child? lol

I didn't get chicken pox as a child either!!

I already got both chicken pox shots (had to take 2, 6-8 weeks apart), because I was reading up on the shots I'd need, so I'd be prepared for the medical in the future.

FYI: Apparently now, in children, the shot is covered by OHIP (in Ontario, anyway, not sure about the other provinces health care), but I had to pay for mine (It was only $3, cause I have separate insurance). Some doc's may give you the shot for free though.

[dukeandduchess 141]

The shots you need for medical at Woking in Vancouver are:

19-26 YEARS

Tdap (Adacel or Boosterix) - ensure you get Tdap not just Td

MMR Measles, Mumps, Rubella. ("MR" and "MM" are not enough). You need MMR

Varicella - If you had "Chicken Pox" disease, no vaccine is needed

Influenza (only required during October - February, annually)

27-49 YEARS

Tdap (Adacel or Boosterix) - ensure you get Tdap not just Td

MMR Measles, Mumps, Rubella. ("MR" and "MM" are not enough). You need MMR

Varicella - If you had "Chicken Pox" disease, no vaccine is needed

Influenza (only required during October - February, annually)

50-59 YEARS

Tdap (Adacel or Boosterix) - ensure you get Tdap not just Td

Influenza - (only required during October - February, annually)

Varicella - If you had "Chicken Pox" disease, no vaccine is needed

60-64 YEARS

Tdap (Adacel or Boosterix) -ensure you get Tdap not just Td

Influenza - (only required during October - February, annually)

Varicella - If you had "Chicken Pox" disease, no vaccine is needed

So basically you need Tdap, MMR, Varicella (If you havent had chicken pox), and flu shot ONLY BETWEEN OCT AND FEB. If his medical is between MAR and SEP he does not need it.

http://www.wokingmedical.com/Vaccinations.html

I didn't get chicken pox as a child either!!

I already got both chicken pox shots (had to take 2, 6-8 weeks apart), because I was reading up on the shots I'd need, so I'd be prepared for the medical in the future.

FYI: Apparently now, in children, the shot is covered by OHIP (in Ontario, anyway, not sure about the other provinces health care), but I had to pay for mine (It was only $3, cause I have separate insurance). Some doc's may give you the shot for free though.

You can get it for free from any Health Unit in BC, but you have to book it in advance so they have it in stock.

Thank you! I appreciate your feedback and the list! (Yes, he's over 18 and under 64 )

Unfortunately, he's not had chicken pox. That's where this gets tricky. I don't know if he can get that vaccine and influenza at the same time. I was hoping he could, but I'm hearing conflicting things.

He will need to get a blood test to confirm he is not immune to varicella or they won't give him the shots. You can get any doctor to order the blood test (I just went to a walk in clinic and asked).

[awkwardsoul 20]

I got my shots in this order (Aug-October this year):

1 - MMR (+ blood test for varicella) My family doctor wanted me to wait inbetween MMR and Tdap (that or she needed to order in Tdap). In BC, they are recommending if you were born after 1970 you need to get your MMR anyways, as we weren't sufficiently vaccinated for the mumps and mumps has been going around.

2 - TDAP + Varicella (wasn't immune to chicken pox as per titre, ewww)

3 - Varicella + flu

Varicella burns! OMG that was the worst. Next was MMR for 3 days of acheyness.

[dukeandduchess 141]

Yeah basically they can do 2 live virus vaccines at a time so it would either be MMR + Varicella/MMR + Flu/ Varicella + Flu.

DO NOT get the Tdap shot from the travel clinic on Broadway. They put it in the wrong spot on my arm (outside of the muscle) which gave me a huge welt the size of a tennis ball for a freaking month. It was horrible. They health unit told me to report them but I'm lazy.

[nycheryl 0]

Thanks, everyone!

It's so interesting about varicella + flu. My doctor in the States said they wouldn't do it on the same day, even if it's only those two shots. My fiance's doctor said they only have the injection, not the spray. I'm going to call them and confirm that it's actually the "dead" version, per PP and the CDC website...

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm

Holy hannah, this is so confusing.

Luckily, he has MMR and most of the others.

Thanks again!! I'm grateful we're this far along in the process.

[dukeandduchess 141]

Make sure he has had 2 doses of MMR. I was born in 85 and had to get a second shot because back in the day they only did 1 and you need 2 to have the "full series".

[awkwardsoul 20]

Make sure he has had 2 doses of MMR. I was born in 85 and had to get a second shot because back in the day they only did 1 and you need 2 to have the "full series".

Just to clarify: 2 doses of MMR is the first one most of us got at young age, then the second dose recently to complete the series? Or do we need to get 2 shots right now? I'm hoping I don't need to get another MMR shot

[dukeandduchess 141]

You need the second shot to complete the series. I had my first one sometime between 85-88. I had to get my 2nd shot for the visa which completed my series. Yes, they do look to see that you've had the complete series (2 shots of MMR regardless of the duration between shots).

They explained this to me as: "Most people gain immunity from 1 shot, but we now do 2 shots so that the small percentage of people who do not gain immunity from the first shot get immunity from the second shot"..

I hope this makes sense.

[sheeshkabelle 153]

After 1990 the second booster of MMR was given to children at the age of 12. Those of us that were over the age of 12 in 1990 or it wasn't required by the school system in our states did not get it. (I had to get an MMR booster when I was 19 after I had my first child.)

IF you did not get a booster of MMR during your teen years, then yes, you have to get it. You had the first shot as a baby.

Varicella vaccine was required vaccine for children over the age of 1 after 1999.

If you HAD Varicella (chicken pox) as a child then you get only the TDAP, MMR and influenza.

If you did NOT have Varicella or the vaccine, you have to get Varicella, TDAP, MMR and infuenza.

MMR and Varicella are attenuated (live) vaccines, you can get both of these shots at the same time, it depends on the doctor.

TDAP is inactive (dead) so you can get it any time

Influenza is inactive, except for the nasal spray.

[alizon 77]

IF you did not get a booster of MMR during your teen years, then yes, you have to get it. You had the first shot as a baby.

My husband just got out of his medical, and we were pretty sure that he was going to need another MMR shot because his vaccine record only shows that he had one (and we had read this thread). But the nurse said he was fine...I hope that wasn't a mistake. He went for the Tdap a couple weeks ago, and they gave him the flu vaccine today at the medical exam.