Influenza vaccine

Frequently asked questions

• What influenza strains does the vaccine provide protection against?

  The influenza vaccine used at Mehiläinen protects against both influenza A virus strains and both influenza B strains.

• When is the ideal time to get vaccinated so that I can get sufficient protection?

  We recommend getting vaccinated in the autumn, before the start of the influenza season. It takes about two weeks for the immunity to develop, during which the protection against the illness will not be complete. You can also get vaccinated after the epidemic has already begun, but there is a risk of contracting influenza before the antibodies have fully developed.

• How long does the protection provided by the vaccine last?

  You must have a new seasonal influenza vaccine every year as the influenza viruses in circulation mutate and change from year to year.

• Who should get vaccinated against influenza?

  High-risk groups for influenza and everyone whose immediate circle involves a person at a risk of contracting severe influenza are recommended to get vaccinated against influenza.

  High-risk groups for influenza:

  • people aged over 65
  • young children
  • pregnant women
  • anyone with a cardiovascular disease, diabetes, lung disease, liver disease or kidney disease, despite their age
  • patients with a weak immune system due to an illness or treatment.

• Can I get vaccinated if I have a cold or another similar symptom of rhinitis?

  The vaccine cannot be administered if you have a high fever or an infection that is causing a fever and it must be postponed until you feel better.

• Can a disease prevent me from getting vaccinated?

  The presence of the following diseases should be considered when getting vaccinated:

  • Childhood asthma: if the vaccine is administered nasally, it must be postponed if the child’s asthma is poorly controlled or if the child has a respiratory tract infection that involves wheezing.
  • Fever: the vaccine cannot be administered you have a high fever or an infection that is causing a fever and it must be postponed until you feel better.
  • Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS): In the event of a recent onset of GBS, you should discuss with your attending doctor about getting vaccinated against influenza.

  Nasally administered vaccines cannot be given to:

  • people with severely weakened immune system due to a disease or its treatment or
  • children undergoing salicylate treatment.

  The vaccine cannot be administered if you have had a severe, immediate allergic reaction, i.e. anaphylaxis, to an influenza vaccine.

• Can I get vaccinated against influenza if I am pregnant?

  An influenza vaccine can be administered as an injection at any stage of pregnancy. Vaccines administered nasally are not recommended at all during pregnancy.

• Can I contract influenza even if I have been vaccinated?

  It is possible to contract influenza even if you have been vaccinated. The influenza vaccine does not provide complete protection against influenza or prevent you from spreading it while you are asymptomatic, but it is the best form of protection against the disease. If you contract influenza when you are vaccinated, you will most likely experience only mild symptoms and recover more quickly than without the vaccine. You should also get vaccinated if you want protection against the sequelae of influenza, such as otitis or bronchitis in children and pneumonia in people of all ages.

• What are the possible adverse or side effects of influenza vaccines?

  The adverse effects of influenza vaccines are rare and occur in only a small proportion of vaccinated individuals:

  • A vaccine administered nasally can cause a rhinitis and a stuffy nose.
  • Injected vaccines can cause redness and tenderness on the area of the injection.
  • In some cases, it is possible to experience muscle and joint pain, headache or a fever. The symptoms will subside in a couple of days. These symptoms can be treated with an antipyretic or a painkiller.

  Serious adverse effects, such as severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) occur very rarely.

  You may experience mild symptoms of a cold after getting vaccinated. These are normal and will subside spontaneously in a short time. Please note that these short term reactions to the vaccine are not a reason for getting tested for COVID-19. If the symptoms last longer than 24 hours after the vaccination and/or if you clearly feel that you are ill or have a high fever or symptoms of a respiratory tract infection, you must contact a health care service provider in order to assess the possibility of a COVID-19 infection.

• Does a healthy athlete need the influenza vaccine even if he/she does not belong to a high-risk group?

  Healthy days are important to an athlete, and infection prevention plays an important role in maintaining health and good performance. This is why influenza vaccination is a strongly recommended method of protection for athletes and others alike.

  It is also beneficial for the athlete if their immediate family and, possibly the entire sports team, have been vaccinated.

• What can increase an athlete’s risk of getting influenza?

  Athletes spend a lot of time in groups: either in teams or in training groups. They are, therefore, quite often in close contact with other people, which increases the risk of a respiratory tract infection.

  Athletes may travel quite a lot, for example, for competitions or training, which also increases the risk of getting ill.

• What is the best time for an athlete to get the influenza vaccine?

  Prevention of infections is beneficial, and the side effects of vaccines are usually smaller than the overall benefit of getting vaccinated.

  Influenza vaccination does not cause the vaccine recipient the actual influenza, but vaccination can cause some side effects. If the vaccine causes side effects, they are generally mild, such as pain at the injection location, fatigue, headache and muscle pain. Sometimes people may also experience mild and brief fever. The symptoms usually last up to a few days.

  Protection against influenza does not occur immediately after vaccination, but takes about two weeks to develop from the time of vaccination. The recommended time for vaccination is before the start of the influenza season, November-December.

  After getting the vaccine, it’s a good idea to have enough space in the training calendar – it’s not a good idea to schedule very heavy workouts or important competitions for the days immediately after the vaccine.

  It’s a good idea to take into account the competition calendar and any training breaks. Vaccination after the start of the flu season can be helpful. The injected location can also be a temporarily sore, which should be taken into consideration by the athlete. It’s a good idea to choose the injection location based on your sport: for example, a tennis player shouldn't take it in their dominant hand.

• What else can you do to protect yourself from the influenza?

  Washing hands is the best way to protect yourself, i.e., adequate hand hygiene should be maintained at all times. Proper cough hygiene is also important for spreading the disease, i.e., you should always cough in your sleeve and not in your hand. If someone seems to have a cold, it’s a good idea to keep them 1–2 metres away.

  In sports teams, it’s good to isolate people with influenza, because even if everyone has been vaccinated, the influenza vaccine does not provide full 100% protection. However, if people who have received the influenza vaccine become ill, the disease is often milder than it would have been without the vaccine.

  Influenza can cause long periods of absence from training, competitions or matches. In addition, people with influenza also have a higher risk of sequelae than people with a normal flu.

• At what point should an influenza vaccine be taken before travelling?

  The annual seasonal influenza vaccine is only available in Finland from around September-October until the spring of the following year. If the vaccine is no longer available in Finland and the trip is a longer one, it can be taken in the destination country if necessary, for example, if travelling to the southern hemisphere.

  The vaccine protection develops within two weeks after vaccination. If you want to have the protection before being possibly exposed, it is advisable to take the influenza vaccine at least two weeks before the trip.

  In addition, a high-dose influenza vaccine is available for people aged over 60. The high-dose vaccine contains a larger amount of active ingredient than the standard vaccine used in the national vaccination programme.

  In addition to the injectable vaccines, a quadrivalent nasal spray influenza vaccine is available for children aged 2–17. The virus strains used in all the vaccines are in line with WHO recommendations.