Influenza vaccine safety
Adverse reactions following vaccination
Risks of an adverse event following influenza vaccination are far less common than complications related to influenza itself, and the adverse events are generally localized and mild. Adverse reactions are more common in children not previously exposed to the vaccine or virus than in adults. The benefits of vaccination substantially outweigh the risks.
Table 2: Comparison of risks associated with influenza disease and inactivated seasonal influenza vaccination
|
Risks associated with seasonal influenza infection |
Risks associated with inactivated seasonal influenza vaccination* |
|---|---|
|
Common symptoms
|
Common adverse event (<1/100)
|
|
Possible complications
|
Rare adverse event (<1/1000)
|
|
Rare complications
|
Very rare adverse event (<1/10.000)
|
*Reported risks refer to inactivated influenza vaccines commonly used in organised immunisation programmes in the European Union. For details see Summary of Product Characteristics for each vaccine available on national regulatory agency websites.
**Julia Stowe, Nick Andrews, Lesley Wise, Elizabeth Miller Investigation of the Temporal Association of Guillain-Barré Syndrome With Influenza Vaccine and Influenza-like Illness Using the United Kingdom General Practice Research Database, American Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 169, Issue 3, 1 February 2009, Pages 382–388 /C Vellozzi, D Burwen, A Dobardzic, R Ball, K Walton, P Haber Safety of trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines in adults: background for pandemic influenza vaccine safety monitoring, Vaccine, 27 (2009), pp. 2114-2120