Vaccinations are more effective when administered in the morning

New research from the University of Birmingham has shown that flu vaccinations are more effective when administered in the morning. The findings, published in the journal Vaccine, suggest administering vaccinations in the morning, rather than the afternoon, could induce greater, and thus more protective, antibody responses. 24 general practices in the West Midlands, UK, were analysed between 2011 and 2013 in a cluster-randomised trial during the annual UK influenza vaccination programme. 276 adults aged over 65 were vaccinated against three strains of influenza, either in morning surgeries (9-11am) or afternoon surgeries (3-5pm). In two of the three given influenza virus strains, those in the morning cohort saw a significantly larger increase in antibody concentration one month following vaccination, when compared with those in the afternoon cohort. In the third strain, there was no significant difference between morning and afternoon. Dr Anna Phillips, the Principal Investigator of the study from the School of Sport, Exercise and...