Flu vaccinations

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Doctors recommend that people with MS are immunised against flu (influenza).

Current research suggests that getting your flu jab is a good idea, because:

when a person with MS has a raised body temperature, such as a fever, their symptoms often feel worse
approximately a third of people with MS who develop flu have a relapse within six weeks

People with MS can have the flu jab. There is good evidence that such immunisations do not cause relapses.

The (External) National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guideline for MS recommends that "people with MS should be offered immunisation against influenza".

Reasons not to have the flu jab

There may be reasons not to have the flu jab. If in doubt, ask your doctor.

If you are having a relapse you might need to wait until your symptoms stabilise or get better before you have the jab. It will depend on how severe the relapse is.

If you have a serious allergy to hens’ eggs, you shouldn’t get vaccinated.

Drug treatments and the flu jab

If you are taking:

beta interferon or glatiramer acetate , you should still ask your doctor for the flu jab
some other drugs such as natalizumab ( Tysabri ), mitoxantrone , azathioprine or alemtuzumab , you should ask your neurologist for advice

Partners and carers get flu vaccine too

The Department of Health policy now also includes carers among those who should be offered the flu immunisation. It should be available to "those who are the main carer for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill".

You can ask your doctor for more information and to arrange a jab. For general information about the jab and eligibility criteria see (External) NHS Choices .

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