Avoiding SIRVA injury During the 2017-2018 Flu Season

 Posted on September 25, 2017 in Vaccine Injuries

Last week, makers of the influenza vaccine began shipping their first doses of flu vaccine for the 2017 – 2018 flu season to healthcare providers, pharmacies, and immunizers. People will be able to begin getting immunized for the upcoming flu season beginning in late September. 

There are a small number of people who should take precautions when getting the flu vaccine, and a small number of people who should not get it at all. Suitability for the vaccine is determined by health status, age, and allergies to components of the flu vaccine. You should talk to your health care provider before getting immunized if you are concerned about your suitability for the influenza vaccine.

For the approximately 160 million people who will get the 2017-2018 flu vaccine, it a good time to learn or to review some tips how to protect yourself from Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) injury. 

SIRVA injuries can occur when any type of vaccine is injected too high or too deeply into the muscle of the upper arm, causing trauma and/or an inflammatory reaction in or around the shoulder joint or bursa (a fluid-filled sac that keeps the shoulder lubricated and moving smoothly).

If you are healthy enough to get the flu vaccine, other factors don’t preclude you from getting the flu vaccine, and you plan to get vaccinated this flu season, here are some suggestions on how to best prevent a SIRVA injury: 

Tips on Avoiding SIRVA Injuries

• Both the person receiving the vaccine and the person administering the vaccine should be either sitting or standing, though sitting is preferred.
• Hold the arm getting the injection out from your side a bit to help protect the shoulder bursa.
• The person injecting the vaccine should aim for the middle of the deltoid muscle where it is the thickest, avoiding the upper third of that muscle.
• The injection should go into the muscle at a 90-degree angle to the skin.
• Avoid getting your vaccination in an arm that you know has experienced a prior injury, such as a rotator cuff tear.

If you believe you or a family member may have received a SIRVA injury when getting the flu vaccine, please contact The Vaccine Injury Project law offices in Chicago, Illinois to learn more about obtaining compensation for your injury.