We’re tackling this and the other big vaccine myths.
Fall is finally here, which means beautiful foliage, pumpkin spice lattes, cozy sweaters…and, unfortunately, the start of flu season. Flu activity usually starts to increase in October, and peaks anywhere between December and February.
If you’ve ever had the flu, you know it can be a truly miserable experience that can keep you out of commission for days. Luckily, the flu vaccine can decrease the severity of the illness if you do end up contracting it. But what exactly is the flu vaccine? Does it give you the flu itself? Can you skip a year? With help from CSL Seqirus, a flu vaccine leader, we’re busting some of the most common myths and misconceptions about the flu so you can feel comfortable protecting yourself against serious illness this fall and winter.
Myth: The flu vaccine isn’t effective.
Fact: The effectiveness of flu vaccines can vary from season to season, but scientists do extensive research each year to anticipate which strains of the virus are likely to circulate that season.
If there’s a good “match” between the flu vaccine and the strains which end up circulating that season, the vaccine can reduce the risk of flu illness by 40% to 60%. It can also reduce the risk of having to go to a doctor for treatment, if you do catch the flu, by 40% to 60%. But even if there isn’t a good match between the vaccine and the most common strains, vaccinations can still reduce the risk of flu-related complications which could lead to hospitalization and death. According to the CDC, the single best way to reduce the risk of seasonal flu is to get vaccinated.
Myth: The flu isn’t that serious for most people — it’s basically just a bad cold.
Fact: It’s true that some flu symptoms like coughing, sneezing, and congestion can be like a cold, but sometimes symptoms can be more severe. Unlike the common cold, the flu can cause high fever, headaches, body aches, chills, and fatigue — and for some people, it can last for two weeks or longer.
In some cases, the flu can also lead to serious illness, hospitalization, and death. You’re probably aware that most of these ultra-severe cases affect folks with weaker immune systems, like young children and older adults. But you can still experience severe symptoms even if you’re not a member of either of these populations, and passing the flu to someone with a weaker immune system could harm them. Last flu season, it’s estimated that between 27 – 54 million people got the flu, and between 19,000 and 58,000 people died from it.
Myth: The flu vaccine causes the flu.
Fact: No, you cannot get the flu from the flu vaccine. Flu shots don’t contain the actual living flu virus. They either contain an inactive form of the virus or a single protein from it, but either way, the vaccination won’t give you influenza.
Myth: Kids shouldn’t get the flu vaccine.
Fact: The CDC recommends an annual flu vaccination for all eligible individuals aged six months and older. In fact, it’s extra-important for young kids to get the flu vaccine, because their immune systems are still developing. Plus, if your child contracts the flu and transmits it to children younger than six months old, those babies are more likely to develop serious illness and complications; And if your child contracts and transmits the flu to those 65 and older, the risk of seniors developing complications increases as well.
Not only should children get the flu vaccine, but the CDC also recommends vaccination for pregnant people. Pregnant individuals who receive their annual flu vaccine while pregnant are helping to not only protect themselves, but their babies, from serious illness for the first few months after birth, when they are too young to get vaccinated.
Myth: There’s no need to get the flu vaccine every year, especially if you’re healthy.
Fact: Anyone can get the flu, even young, healthy people. Since the flu spreads through tiny droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or even talks, you can pick up the flu pretty much anywhere. Since the flu viruses can change from year to year, vaccines may be updated from one season to the next to protect against the strains that are likely to be common that year. Even if the vaccine doesn’t contain new strains, protection against the flu declines over time, so annual vaccination is critical for the best defense.
It’s also possible to be infected with the flu virus and spread it, even when you don’t feel sick or have symptoms. Vaccination helps minimize the chances that you can get and spread the flu.
Myth: The flu vaccine isn’t safe, and the side effects are just as bad as the illness itself.
Fact: The vaccine has been in use since the 1940s, and hundreds of millions of people in the U.S. have received one of the various types of flu vaccines available each year. So it’s fair to say it’s got a well-established safety record. Scientists have spent decades researching, honing, and improving the vaccine.
Just like other vaccinations, it’s true that the flu vaccine may cause side effects — including fever, headache, muscle aches, and nausea — for some people. Like with most shots, you could also have soreness, redness, or swelling at the spot where it was injected. But most of these side effects are mild and last no more than a few days, which is significantly less time than the flu itself would last, if you contracted it.
If you’re worried about side effects or whether a particular flu vaccine is right for you, speak with your healthcare provider.
Myth: You can’t get the COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the same time.
Fact: You can get a flu vaccine and a COVID-19 vaccine at the same visit if you’re eligible for both — and that means just one quick trip to the pharmacy or doctor’s office. Talk to your doctor about which flu vaccine is right for you. There are several options and the CDC has preferential recommendations for certain populations.
What to do if the flu hits home
If you do get the flu, please stay home to help minimize the spread. If you get the flu and are at higher risk for serious illness, or if your symptoms are severe, there are antiviral treatments available that can help. Make sure to ask your doctor about these treatments as soon as possible, because their benefit is greatest when started within two days of the onset of the virus.
It’s impossible to know who might develop serious illness or have complications from the flu, so the best way to mitigate this risk is through seasonal vaccination. Do your part for your family and your community by getting vaccinated — it’s the best way to stop the spread.
Speak with a healthcare provider or pharmacist about which vaccine might be best for you depending on your age and overall health. For more information on the flu, visit flu.com.
