What is influenza?
Influenza is a disease caused by infection with an influenza virus, where the viral infection primarily affects the respiratory tract.
Anyone can get influenza, and most people will experience a mild infection. However, for some groups, influenza can cause a serious illness and, in the worst case, can be life-threatening.
It is possible to prevent influenza through vaccination. Vaccination reduces the risk of becoming infected, and also reduces the risk of hospitalization and death due to influenza if one were to contract influenza despite vaccination.
Vaccine content
The vaccine contains inactivated surface proteins from 4 different influenza viruses. For the 2024-2025 season, the composition of the vaccine is:
A/Victoria/4897/2022(H1N1)pdm09-like strain
A/Thailand/8/2022 (H3N2)-like strain
B/Austria/1359417/2021-like strain
B/Phuket/3073/2013-like strain
The target group for vaccination
VaxigripTetra can be used for vaccination of persons from 6 months of age and older, including pregnant women.
For further information see influenza vaccination .
In the 2024/2025 season, VaxigripTetra is offered to people aged 65 - 69, as well as people from 6 months with certain chronic diseases, pregnant women, early retirement pensioners and other groups of people. For further information, see the Danish Health Authority's recommendation.
Vaccination dose
Children and adults should receive the same dose of 0.5 ml.
The vaccine is usually given at the beginning of the flu season. In 2024, vaccination against flu in the public program will begin on October 1.
Children aged 6 months to 8 years who have not previously been vaccinated against influenza should have two vaccines at least 4 weeks apart.
Children aged 6 months to 8 years who have previously received at least one flu vaccine, regardless of type, should only receive one vaccine this season.
Children, adolescents and adults aged 9 years and older should only receive one vaccine.
The vaccine is given as an intramuscular or subcutaneous injection. The preferred injection sites are the anterolateral region of the thigh in young children and the deltoid region in older children, adolescents and adults.
For further information, please refer to the Summary of Product Characteristics.
Who should not be vaccinated?
In case of acute illness or fever above 38°C, vaccination should be postponed.
People who have had serious side effects from previous vaccination with the vaccine.
Children under 6 months.
People with severe allergies to one or more of the ingredients (e.g. formaldehyde, neomycin, octoxinol-9). In case of allergy to neomycin, it may be possible to use another product, see Flucelvax Tetra. See Side effects and allergies .
VaxigripTetra is produced by propagation of the virus in embryonated eggs and may contain trace amounts of egg proteins, such as ovalbumin.
Individuals with a history of egg allergy who have only experienced hives after exposure to eggs may receive influenza vaccine. Any approved, recommended influenza vaccine that is otherwise appropriate for the recipient's age and health status may be used.
Individuals who report having had reactions to eggs involving symptoms other than hives (e.g. angioedema or swelling, difficulty breathing, dizziness or recurrent vomiting, or who required adrenaline or other emergency medical intervention immediately after vaccination) may be offered an inactivated 4-valent influenza vaccine, see Flucelvax Tetra. See Side effects and allergy .
If in doubt, please consult your doctor.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Pregnant and breastfeeding women can be vaccinated. The Danish Health Authority recommends influenza vaccination for all pregnant women in the 2nd or 3rd trimester, see Influenza vaccination . Pregnant women who have other diseases or conditions that increase the risk of a serious course of influenza should be vaccinated in the 1st trimester.
Please refer to your own doctor.
Most common side effects
Redness, swelling and tenderness at the injection site, headache, malaise and fever.
For further details, please refer to the Summary of Product Characteristics.
Reporting of side effects - stricter reporting obligation
Since the vaccine is still listed on the Danish Medicines Agency's list of products with enhanced reporting obligations, VaxigripTetra is therefore still subject to enhanced reporting obligations, which means that doctors are obliged to report all suspected side effects in people they are treating.
Serious side effects must be reported to the Danish Medicines Agency no later than 15 days after the doctor has suspected them, and can be reported via www.meldenbivirkning.dk
Duration of protection
Protection is achieved within 2-3 weeks after vaccination and usually lasts for 6-12 months. Protection depends mainly on the match between circulating virus and the virus strains in the vaccine.
In older people, protection against common influenza disease is generally lower than in younger people, but influenza vaccination can protect against serious complications, hospitalizations and death.
State Serum Institute (2024), https://www.ssi.dk/vaccinationser/vaccineleksikon/i/influenzavaccine-4-valent