Column: Which flu shot is right for you?

Dear Savvy Senior: I’ve been reading that there are different flu vaccines for seniors. Which flu shot is right for me? — Flu-Conscious Carol

Dear Carol: It wasn’t that long ago that if you wanted to get protected from the flu, you simply got a flu shot. But now days, there are so many flu-vaccine options you might feel like you are ordering off a menu.

Flu shot options

Just as they do every year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a seasonal flu shot to everyone 6 months and older, but it’s especially important for seniors who are at higher risk of developing serious flu-related complications. The flu puts more than 200,000 people in the hospital each year and kills an average of 24,000 — 80 to 90 percent of whom are seniors. Here are the vaccine options (you only need to get one of these):

>> Standard flu vaccines: You can’t go wrong with a standard (trivalent) flu shot, which has been around for more than 40 years and protects against three strains of flu virus. This year’s version protects against two A strains (H1N1 and H3N2), and one influenza B virus.

For additional protection, consider the quadrivalent flu vaccine that protects against four types of flu — the three strains in the trivalent shot, plus a B-strain virus.

>> Senior specific vaccines: If you’re 65 or older and want some extra protection, you should consider the “Fluzone High-Dose” or “FLUAD.” The Fluzone High-Dose has four times the amount of antigen as a regular flu shot, while the FLUAD contains an added ingredient called adjuvant MF59. Both provide a stronger immune response for better protection.

>> Egg-free vaccines: If you’re allergic to eggs, your flu shot options are “Flucelvax” or “FluBlok.”

>> Fear-of-needle vaccines: If you don’t like needles, and you’re between the ages of 18 and 64, your options are the “Fluzone Intradermal” or “AFLURIA” vaccine.

The Fluzone intradermal flu shot uses a tiny 1/16-inch long micro-needle to inject the vaccine just under the skin, rather than deeper in the muscle like standard flu shot. While the AFLURIA vaccine is administered by a jet injector, which is a medical device that uses a high-pressure, narrow stream of fluid to penetrate the skin instead of a needle.

It if you’re a Medicare beneficiary, Part B covers all flu vaccinations. If you have private health insurance, check your coverage.

Pneumonia vaccines

The CDC also recommends all seniors, 65 or older, get two vaccinations — Prevnar 13 and Pneumovax 23. Both vaccines, which are administered just once at different times, work in different ways to provide maximum protection.

If you haven’t yet received any pneumococcal vaccine you should get the Prevnar 13 first, followed by Pneumovax 23 six to 12 months later. Medicare Part B covers both shots, if they are taken at least one year apart.

To locate a vaccination site, visit Vaccines.gov and type in your zipcode.

Jim Miller is a contributor to NBC-TV’s “Today” program and author of “The Savvy Senior.” Send your questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070; or visit savvysenior.org.