Nasal Flu Vaccination

[Attic]

Hi everyone, I have PMR and currently on 10mg of Prednisolone. Should I avoid contact with my Grandaughter for a while when she has received the Nasal Flu Drops.

Thank you Jenny

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I think it is advisable - it is only for about a week. No-one wants to get flu that way, on pred or not!!!

[Oh-my]

“It is known that vaccinated children shed the virus for a few days after vaccination (through sneezing or coughing). However, the vaccine virus is weakened, and so it is much less able to spread from person to person than flu viruses that circulate during the flu season, and it cannot grow inside the body. The amount of virus that children shed is normally below the levels needed to pass on infection to others. The virus does not survive for long outside the body.”

My grandchildren will soon be getting the nasal flu vaccine and I am not worried about seeing them.

[HeronNS]

I think you'd be okay, but if it were me I'd likely avoid them for a few days just to be on the safe side.* The literature I've seen seems to suggest it's only a concern if one has a severely compromised immune system. That would include cancer patients on certain treatment regimens, those taking high doses of corticosteroids (10 mg is not high) and, I venture suggest, people whose immune system has been damaged by disease including SARS-CoV-2.

*Also assess the risk/benefit balance. If it were my grandchild visiting me from afar, seeing them would definitely trump any abundance of caution over a live flu vaccine, but if they live nearby and I can see them often, what's a few days in the big picture?

[Attic in reply to HeronNS]

Thank s for the advice ladies. I think I will give her a miss for a few days, no hardship realIy as I see her regularly as she only lives 15 minutes away and as I have just got over a very bad bout of Covid best to be on safe side.Thank you Jenny

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Attic]

How old is she - use social media - they are older but I only see my grandchildren on video calls, mostly on Facebook. Not the same maybe but as they get older you will probably get more time chatting like that!!

[HeronNS in reply to Attic]

Sensible under the circumstances. One of covid's effects, as you probably know, is to (hopefully temporarily) damage the immune system, which is one reason so many people generally are getting sick more often and taking longer to recover than they used to. (Nothing to do with mythic "immunity debt". ) So, knowing this context, it definitely is the right thing to do, to steer clear of any chance of catching something else. With a damped down immune system you are at greater risk. And it will make seeing her again after a short absence all the sweeter, although it's a shame you can't do something with her to cheer her up while she recovers. Maybe PMRpro's suggestion of some virtual time would work?

Hope you really are feeling a lot better yourself? Keep on getting lots of rest and ease back into regular routine, walking, etc, probably more slowly than you would like. Reduces risk of developing longer lasting symptoms or even long covid.