This year, for the first time, a new, high-dose flu vaccine is available for people over age 65. The high-dose flu shot contains four times the amount of antigens to induce a higher immune response in seniors.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the vaccine was created because the human immune defenses become weaker with age, which places older people at greater risk of severe illness from influenza. Also, aging decreases the body's ability to have a good immune response after getting flu vaccine. A higher dose of antigen in the vaccine is supposed to give older people a better immune response and therefore better protection against flu.
Seniors can choose from the regular dose flu vaccine, or Fluzone High-Dose, which is the name of the new vaccine designed specifically for people age 65 and over. Both vaccines will protect against the same three flu viruses.
The CDC recommends that people talk their doctor to determine which vaccine is best for them.
Does the new vaccine work better in the elderly? According to clinical trials that compared the standard flu vaccine (Fluzone) to Fluzone High-Dose among persons aged 65 years or older indicate that a stronger immune response (i.e. higher antibody levels) occurs after vaccination with Fluzone High-Dose. Whether or not the improved immune response leads to greater protection against influenza disease after vaccination is not yet known.
Medicare will pay for the flu shot once every flu season. The high-dose shot has been shipped to doctors' offices, pharmacies and long-term care facilities around the country, but because it's a new product, it's not as widely available as the standard flu shot.
For more information, visit the the flu.gov website.