Other adults who should consider flu shots include:
People at risk for complications for the flu and who are traveling to the tropics at any time or to the Southern Hemisphere between April and September.
Pregnant women who are at risk for complications of the flu and who will be in their second or third trimester during flu season. (Vaccinations should usually be given after the first trimester. Exceptions may be women who are in their first trimester during flu season and their risk from complications of the flu is higher than any theoretical risk to the baby from the vaccine.)
People such as firemen or policemen who are critical for public safety.
Allergic Reaction. Newer vaccines contain very little egg protein, but an allergic reaction still may occur in people with strong allergies to eggs.
Soreness at the Injection Site. Up to two thirds of people who receive the influenza vaccine develop redness or soreness at the injection site for one or two days afterward.
Flu-like Symptoms. Some people actually experience flu-like symptoms, called oculo-respiratory syndrome, which include conjunctivitis, cough, wheeze, tightness in the chest, sore throat, or a combination. Such symptoms tend to occur between two and 24 hours after the vaccination and generally last up to two days. It should be noted that these symptoms are not the flu itself but an immune response to the virus proteins in the vaccine. (Anyone with a fever at the time the vaccination is scheduled, however, should wait to be immunized until the ailment has subsided.)
Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Isolated cases of a paralytic illness known as Guillain-Barre syndrome have occurred, but if there is any higher risk, it is very small (an additional one case per one million people), and does not outweigh the benefits of the vaccine.
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