Flu shots and COVID-19 vaccines

​Flu season is coming soon, and we also have some information about COVID vaccines this year. The optimal time to get vaccinated for influenza in San Diego is late October or November because flu season here usually peaks around January or February, and by vaccinating around November, you will have the most antibodies to protect you around the peak of flu season. However, if you are traveling overseas before November, you can certainly get your vaccine sooner, and in some years, flu season can come early. The CDC usually recommends getting the flu vaccine as soon as it's available, but that's because they are more concerned about developing "herd immunity" in a community (if more people are vaccinated early on, there is less chance that influenza hits that community hard later on). That’s different than our recommendation, which is based on the best protection for you the individual.
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We carry two different flu vaccines in the office. We have the usual flu vaccine (called Flucelvax) that everyone is eligible to receive. We also have a HIGH DOSE flu vaccine called Flublok, which has three times the amount of antigen as the usual flu vaccine. Studies show that it gives 30% better protection than the usual flu vaccine when tested in patients ages 50 and above. We do not carry the so-called "senior” flu shot (Fluzone High-Dose) which is usually the one that most pharmacies will try to administer to seniors. Given a choice between Flublok and Fluzone, I would choose Flublok because this vaccine is not grown in eggs (unlike Fluzone), so it avoids the possible mutations that can occur in egg-grown vaccines that can alter the final product. However, the difference is not huge, so if you can’t get Flublok, the Fluzone High-Dose is certainly a good substitute. We are recommending the Flublok vaccine in ALL patients ages 50 and above, although you certain can get if you under 50 if you choose to. If you get your flu shot elsewhere, please let us know so we can document it in our records.
Most insurances, including Medicare, do cover flu shots, but if it is not covered, Flublok costs around $80. If you happen to be in the Ximed building on a Wednesday (9 am-12pm and 2 pm-4:30 pm) or Friday (8:30 am-2 pm), you can just stop by the office without an appointment to get any vaccines. If you want to come in on a Monday, Tuesday or Thursday, please call us first.
 
COVID-19 vaccines
The bigger question this year will be about the COVID vaccine. The new 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccines have been approved by the CDC and should be in our office by the middle of September. As many of you know, there has been significant disagreement about vaccines between the medical community and the current Health and Human Services director, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. While he may have some good views about emphasizing the importance of primary care and disease prevention, as well as striving to make the food supply healthier, we are completely opposed to Kennedy’s long history of anti-vaccine views. Here are some answers to questions that many people have.
 
Are the COVID vaccines safe and effective?
Some of the vaccines that we administer to children and adults are very good at preventing infection, while other vaccines may help decrease the risk of infection but are particularly good at preventing serious side effects from the disease. Getting the influenza vaccine does not guarantee that you will not get influenza, but it does decrease the risk of getting it, and if you do end up getting influenza, the disease is usually less severe. Similarly, the COVID vaccines may not prevent you from getting the infection, but they do decrease the risk of having serious complications from it. As for the safety of the vaccine, it is important to know that billions of doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been administered worldwide since the start of the COVID pandemic, and the incidence of side effects are very rare. Can you have a serious side effect? Yes, but you have a much higher chance of having serious complications from COVID itself than you do from the vaccines.
 
Do the COVID vaccines contain Thimerosal?
No, all of the vaccines we give in the office, including the Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines, do NOT contain Thimerosal.
 
Who should get the new COVID vaccines?
Right now, the CDC recommends that all patients 65 years and over should get the new COVID vaccine when it becomes available. In addition, patients under age 65 who have conditions that put them at a higher risk for complications from COVID should also get vaccinated. These conditions include smoking, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, any lung disease including asthma, chronic medical conditions that are being treated with an immunosuppressant, as well as people that are overweight or physically inactive. If you are under 65 and have none of these conditions, you can still get the vaccine to help prevent long COVID, as well as COVID-related complications such as myocarditis, blood clots, brain fog, loss of smell and taste, and well as chronic fatigue. I will be getting the vaccine, as will everyone in my family including my teenage son. And No, we do not get “kickbacks” from the vaccine companies.
 
Will my insurance cover the COVID vaccine?
If you are 65 or over, your insurance should definitely cover the vaccine. If you’re under 65, your insurance will also most likely cover it, as they don’t necessarily know if you have a chronic condition that puts you at a higher risk for complications. If you are under 65, you may be asked to sign a form stating that you may have to pay for the vaccine if your insurance does not cover it. However, we feel it is highly unlikely that insurances will not cover this vaccine, and we can assist you in getting your insurance to pay for it. If you are concerned, you can certainly call your insurance company to ask.
 
When should I get the COVID vaccine?
Right now, we are having a spike in infections this summer, similar to previous summers. It is very important that if you have any cold symptoms at all, check yourself for COVID with one of the over-the-counter home tests. If you recently contracted COVID, you should wait at least 3 months before you get the vaccine. For everyone else, I would recommend getting the vaccine as soon as it becomes available, but definitely at least two weeks before you travel internationally. Once we receive the vaccines in our office, we will let you know. Please do NOT call to office asking if we have the vaccines yet. Larger pharmacies often have access to the vaccines several days before we receive them. We will send out an email and text alert to let you know as soon as we have them available.
Please reach out if you have any questions, and we hope everyone has a safe and healthy Fall and Winter!
 
Wynnshang Sun, M.D.
Casey Fulinara, PA-C