September 16, 2022
We anticipate there will be continued high demand for influenza vaccines this year. We appreciate your continued support with vaccinating and protecting our communities.
Key Messages
- General Practitioner and Nurse Practitioner Offices: Influenza vaccine orders will be submitted using the online vaccine order request form. We will advise you next week, when you can start submitting your orders.
- If you can’t submit online, contact your local public health unit for the fax form.
- Pharmacists will continue to request their vaccine through the BC Pharmacy Association/Distributors.
- Long Term Care and Assisted Living Facilities:
- Please reach out to your local public health unit or your acute care pharmacy partner from whom you received the influenza vaccine last year.
- Co-administration of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines is safe and effective.
- Invites for the fall COVID-19 booster have begun. All Fraser Health clinics and participating pharmacies, will have the COVID-19 Moderna bivalent vaccine available for eligible clients.
Vaccine Eligibility and Intended Use
| Table 1: 2022/2023 Influenza Vaccine Eligibility and Intended Use | ||
| Age Group | Preferred Vaccine | Comments |
| 6-23 months | Fluzone® | |
| 2-17 years |
Fluzone® Flumist® |
Flumist® Quadrivalent is contraindicated for those with severe asthma or active wheezing (on high dose inhaled or oral steroids or medically attended wheezing in the past 7 days). |
| 18 years and older | Fluzone® | Flumist® may be offered to those 18-59 years of age who have needle phobia and are unwilling to get another influenza vaccine, provided informed consent includes that Quadrivalent Inactivated Influenza Vaccine provides better protection against influenza for this age group. |
| 65 years and older | Fluad® | If Fluad® is unavailable Fluzone® should be given. |
| 65 years and older who are residents of Long-Term care and Assisted Living facilities or First Nations Communities | Fluzone® High-Dose | If Fluzone® High-Dose is unavailable Fluad® should be used. If neither of these products are available, Fluzone® may be used. |
Vaccine products, format and expiry
Because influenza viruses change often (mutate), the specific virus strains in the vaccine are reviewed each year by the World Health Organization and updated as needed so that there is the greatest probability of matching the virus strains that are circulating in the community. The 2022-2023 influenza vaccines contain the following strains:
- A/Victoria/2570/2019 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus
- A/Darwin/9/2021 (H3N2)-like virus (new this year)
- B/Austria/1359417/2021-like virus (new this year)
- B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus (in quadrivalent vaccines only)
| Table 2: 2022/2023 Influenza Vaccines | |||||||
| Product |
Fluzone® Quadrivalent Inactivated |
Fluad® Inactivated, Trivalent |
Flumist® Quadrivalent Live Attenuated |
Fluzone® High-Dose Quadrivalent Inactivated |
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| Supplier | Sanofi Pasteur | Seqirus | AstraZeneca | Sanofi Pasteur | |||
| Indicated age group | 6 months and older | 65 years and older |
2-17 years old inclusive 18-59 years old with needle phobia (refer to Table 1) |
65 years & older who are residents of Long-Term Care and Assisted Living facilities or First Nations communities | |||
| Formats available | Multi-dose vial and pre-filled syringe | Pre-filled syringe | Intranasal spray | Pre-filled syringe | |||
| Expiry | Use up to the date of expiry listed on the vial or pre-filled syringe | Use up to the date of expiry listed on the pre-filled syringe |
Use up to the date of expiry listed on the sprayer/box Shelf life is approx. 4 months |
Use up to the date of expiry listed on the pre-filled syringe | |||
| Contains thimerosal |
Yes in multi-dose vial No in pre-filled syringe |
No | No | No | |||
| Vaccines should be kept at 2-8°C at all times. See this quick reference on storage and handling | |||||||
Additional resources
- BCCDC Communicable Disease Control Manual, Chapter 2: Immunization, Part 4 - Biological Products (Vaccines & immune Globulins)
- Free online influenza immunization courses:
- BCCDC’s Summary – New for this Influenza Season
- Free vaccine storage and handling course: Vaccine Storage and Handling
- Influenza information for patients is available on ImmunizeBC.ca/influenza
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