"You can't have a flu jab if you're allergic to eggs" is a long-standing claim — but it's out of date. Some flu vaccines are produced using eggs, so in the past egg-allergic people were discouraged from getting them. The guidance has since been updated: an egg allergy is not an absolute contraindication to the flu vaccine.
What the Centre for Health Protection advises
- Mild egg allergy: the inactivated flu vaccine can be given in a primary care setting (such as a family doctor's clinic) with a 30-minute observation afterwards.
- History of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to egg: vaccination should be done by healthcare professionals in a facility able to recognise and manage such reactions, to be safe.
- Recombinant flu vaccine: this type contains no egg protein and is another option for egg-allergic people.
What you should do
Before the jab, tell your doctor you're allergic to eggs and how severe your past reactions have been (for example, just itchy skin, versus difficulty breathing or collapse). The doctor will use that to decide where to vaccinate you, which vaccine to use, and how long to observe you. Don't skip vaccination on your own because of an egg allergy — for high-risk people, the threat from flu is usually far greater than the risk of the jab.
If you've had a severe allergic reaction to a component of the flu vaccine itself, that's a separate matter — discuss it in detail with your doctor.