‘Groundbreaking development’ extra-strength flu shot available for older Americans

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – With the cooler weather traditionally comes flu season. And, this year, there’s a new option to help protect older Americans from getting sick.

When Sharon Milam learned that anyone over age 65 can now receive an extra-strength flu shot, she didn’t hesitate.

“I’ll take it. Definitely wanted to have it. Yes,” the Dallas resident said.

After two years of virtually no flu, health experts are gearing up for a potentially severe flu season. Texas is already a CDC hot spot. That’s why Internal Medicine Specialist Dr. Donna Casey said the senior vaccine option could be a game changer.

“I think it’s a groundbreaking development,” she said. “You’re more likely to get a bad virulent flu, which then puts you in the hospital. And we now know we also see more heart attacks, congestive heart failure in people that get the flu, because there’s a tipping point when you get sick that everything kind of falls apart.”

Older Americans can get one of three extra-strength flu vaccines. One of them, Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent, contains four times the antigen as in standard flu vaccines. During most flu seasons, people 65 and older account for the majority of flu hospitalizations and deaths. 

“As the population gets older, our immune systems get older, too,” said Dr. Nikhil Bhayani, an Infectious Disease consultant and Epidemiology Physician Advisor with Texas Health Resources. “So you just want to give them a little extra boost in the immunity.” 

Milam said she’s grateful for the extra piece of mind.

“Anything to help us,” she said.

Doctors said the side effects from the extra-strength vaccine are mild and temporary. They can include a sore arm or low-grade fever, but in most cases, it doesn’t last more than a day.