Living with Food Allergies
The Flu Vaccine Is Safe for People with Egg Allergy
If you have a current or past egg allergy, you can get the flu (influenza) vaccine, even if you have had severe allergic reactions to egg.
An egg allergy is not a reason to avoid a flu vaccine.
What Are the Guidelines for the Current Flu Season?
People who are 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every year when it becomes available, usually between August and October.
Every year, new batches of the flu vaccine are made with different virus strains. The vaccine stimulates your body to make antibodies to help you fight off flu infection.
If you get the flu vaccine, you are less likely to catch the flu virus. And if you do get sick with flu, you are more likely to have less severe symptoms, recover quicker, and have a lower risk of complications. The flu vaccine can also help reduce your or your child’s risk of severe illness from more than one respiratory infection.
The flu vaccine is available as a shot or a nasal spray. AAFA recommends that people with asthma over 6 months of age get the flu shot. The CDC does not recommend the nasal spray for children ages 2 to 4 who have asthma or a history of wheezing in the past 12 months.
If you or your child (ages 5 and older) must have a needle-free option and your asthma is well-controlled, talk with your doctor about nasal spray flu vaccine options.
See the CDC’s full guidelines on the flu vaccine for more information.
The following organizations recommend getting the flu vaccine every year, even if you have an egg allergy:
- Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI)
- American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI)
The AAAAI, ACAAI, and CDC state that the vaccine is safe to give in any setting. No additional safety measures beyond standard vaccination procedures are needed. There is no special waiting time or other precautions.1
Why Is the Flu Vaccine Important?
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illnesses. Serious complications from the flu are possible, like pneumonia. It can also cause death. The flu causes thousands of hospital stays and deaths every year, including in previously healthy children and adults. Individuals with chronic underlying health conditions (such as diabetes) and senior adults are at higher risk of dying from the flu.
It is possible to also get other illnesses such as COVID-19 or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) at the same time as the flu and become very sick. Getting the flu vaccine can help reduce you or your child’s risk of severe illness from more than one respiratory infection.
Does the Flu Vaccine Contain Egg?
Some versions of the flu shot and nasal spray vaccines can contain a tiny amount of egg protein. But studies show that the amount is so small it is unlikely that you will have a severe allergic reaction to the vaccine if you have an egg allergy.
There are also 2 vaccines that are egg free:
- Flublok Trivalent (licensed for use in adults 18 years and older)
- Flucelvax Quadrivalent (licensed for use in people 6 months and older)
The risk of complications (serious health problems) from the flu are far greater than the very low risk of reaction from the tiny amount of egg in the vaccine.
Who Should Not Get a Flu Vaccine?
Most people can get a flu vaccine. Children younger than 6 months old are too young to get a flu vaccine.
Talk with a board-certified allergist about the flu vaccine if your child has ever had a:
- Life-threatening allergic reaction after a dose of flu vaccine
- Severe allergy to any part of a flu vaccine (other than egg)
If you or your child has an egg allergy and you are still concerned about getting the flu shot, talk with an allergist.
If you have any concerns, talk with your doctor about the flu vaccine options that are best for you. You can talk about the overall risks and benefits of these vaccines at that time.
Medical Review: October 2024 by John M. James, M.D.
Closed
References
- Flu vaccine and people with egg allergies. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved September 13, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/egg-allergies.htm