Getting the flu shot is important. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend it for most people, and scientific research has shown that the flu shot protects millions of Americans against influenza each year.
However, getting the flu shot can also result in adverse reaction. From severe allergic reactions to Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA), the flu vaccine does harm some people. So, as a parent, health care provider or flu shot recipient, what can you do to reduce the risk of injury this flu season?
1. Know the Site. Get it Right!
Through its Know the Site. Get it Right! campaign, the CDC encourages health care providers and vaccine recipients to make sure they know where the flu shot is supposed to be administered. As an intramuscular (IM) injection, the needle for the flu shot should be inserted into the deltoid muscle on the outside of the upper arm. As the CDC explains, “In adults, the midpoint of the deltoid is about 2 inches (or 2 to 3 fingers’ breadth) below the acromion process (bony prominence) and above the armpit in the middle of the upper arm.” To help ensure proper needle placement, vaccine recipients should roll up their sleeve rather than pulling their collar down over their shoulder.
2. Insert the Needle at 90 Degrees
The CDC also advises that IM injections should be administered at a 90-degree angle to the surface of the skin. This ensures that the tip of the needle reaches the correct depth in the muscle tissue and prevents the vaccine from being injected into the fatty tissue above the muscle.
3. Know the Symptoms of Flu Shot Injuries
Knowing the symptoms of flu shot injuries might not help you prevent these injuries entirely, but it could help you secure treatment before an injury worsens. The effects of anaphylaxis, SIRVA, Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) and other vaccine-related injuries and illnesses can worsen over time, but this risk can often be mitigated with prompt medical intervention.
4. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions
At free flu shot clinics and other high-traffic locations, health care providers can administer tens of flu shots in a single day. Oftentimes, they are working quickly in an effort to immunize as many people as possible. As a parent or vaccine recipient, you should not be afraid to take the time to ask questions. Watch what the person who is administering your (or your child’s) vaccine is doing, and speak up if you have any concerns.
Have You or a Loved One Experienced Pain After a Flu Shot?
For individuals and families who are coping with the effects of flu shot injuries, the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) provides a source of financial recovery. If you have questions or would like to learn more, call us at 202-800-1711 or request a free consultation online today.
Leah Durant Bio
Experienced litigation attorney Leah Durant focuses on representing clients in complex vaccine litigation matters. Leah Durant is the owner and principal attorney of the Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC, a litigation firm based in Washington, DC. Leah Durant and her staff represent clients and their families who suffer from vaccine-related injuries, adverse vaccine reactions and vaccine-related deaths. The Law Offices of Leah V. Durant, PLLC is dedicated to assisting individuals in recovering the highest level of compensation as quickly and efficiently as possible. To learn more, contact vaccine attorney Leah Durant today.