Type 2 Diabetes Management

Type 2 Diabetes Management with Flu Vaccines

Posted on September 18, 2011 by Lu Young RN

Flu season is rapidly approaching and type 2 diabetes management with flu vaccines may save your life.  According to the CDC, “For people with diabetes, the flu can be more than aches and pains. It can mean longer illness, hospitalization, even death. Because diabetes can make the immune system more vulnerable to severe cases of the flu. In fact, people with diabetes are almost 3 times more likely to die with influenza (“the flu”) or pneumonia.”

So getting a flu shot is much more important for diabetics than it is for anyone else.

The “flu shot” — an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. The flu shot is approved for use in people older than 6 months, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions.

There are three different flu shots available:

A.  a regular flu shot approved for people ages 6 months and older
B.  a high-dose flu shot approved for people 65 and older, and
C.  an intradermal flu shot approved for people 18 to 64 years of age.

2. The nasal-spray flu vaccine — a vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses that is given as a nasal spray (sometimes called LAIV for “Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine”). The viruses in the nasal spray vaccine do not cause the flu. LAIV is approved for use in healthy* people 2 through 49 years of age who are not pregnant.

The seasonal flu vaccine protects against three influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season. The 2011-2012 flu vaccine provides protection against the three main viruses that research indicates will cause the most illness this season. The 2011-2012 flu vaccine will protect against an influenza A (H1 N1) virus, an influenza A (H3N2) virus and an influenza B virus. About 2 weeks after vaccination, antibodies that provide protection against influenza virus infection develop in the body. 

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Scheduling a flu shot, may not always be easy but many supercenters and pharmacies now carry them. 

Pneumonia and influenza are the fifth leading cause of death in older adults in the U.S. While vaccines are available to prevent and reduce complications from these diseases, their use is suboptimal. African Americans and Hispanics have significantly lower influenza and pneumococcal immunization rates compared to the rest of the population. In 2006, 64% of people 65 and older reported receiving a flu shot in the past 12 months; however, only 46% of non –Hispanic blacks and 45% of Hispanics reported receiving a flu shot, compared with 67% of non-Hispanic whites. While 57% reported having ever received a pneumonia vaccination, only 36% of non-Hispanic blacks and 33% of Hispanics reported ever receiving a pneumonia vaccination, compared with 62% of non-Hispanic whites. 

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October will soon be here and that is when many doctor’s office, county health departments, super centers and pharmacies start advertising that the flu shot is now available.  So take part in your type 2 diabetes management with flu vaccines program and get your shot scheduled.