The most effective tool in our arsenal against influenza is vaccination. That’s why we need to put any and all flu shot myths to bed.

Flu Shot Myths Busted

After vaccination, you can expect immunity against the flu develops within 2 weeks. 

Individuals older than 6 months of age are eligible for vaccination unless they have an allergy to eggs, a past allergy to influenza vaccination, or a history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome. People with ongoing fever, regardless of the cause, should wait until their illnesses resolve before pursuing vaccination.

Unfortunately, there are several myths out there about the available vaccines. It is time to bust these and other flu myths.

1 — If I get the flu vaccine, I will get the flu.

Not true.  Two types of vaccines are available, the flu shot (an injection given into the muscle) and an inhaled vaccine (a spray breathed in through the nose). 

• The flu shot comes from an inactivated virus.  Because it is not a live virus, you cannot get the flu. 
• The nasal spray is formulated from a live virus that has been “attenuated”.  This weakened virus will not cause flu in healthy people and is only recommended for people between the ages of 2 and 49 who are not pregnant. 

You often hear people complain the flu shot gave them the flu. They likely refer to a low-grade fever or muscle aches they got in the first 48 hours after receiving the vaccine. These mild symptoms do not occur because of the flu but because their body built an immune response against it. THE VACCINATION IS DOING ITS JOB!

2 — If I get the flu, there are medicines to treat it anyway.

Not necessarily. A limited number of medications available can treat influenza and not all of them are effective. Much of that response depends on what strain of flu infected you. Some medications even have side effects that could be worse than the flu itself, e.g., really bad nausea and/or diarrhea. Hoping there will be something to treat you with when the time comes is a bit foolhardy. Be ahead of the game.

3 — I am healthy, so I don’t need to get vaccinated.

The CDC recommends universal flu vaccination for people greater than 6 months of age in the United States to protect not only the individual patient (YOU) but also to protect the population at large. Do your part for your own health and for your community. Getting vaccinated helps to prevent the spread of disease, especially to those are at high risk. Young children, adults over 65 years old, or people with asthma, heart disease, or diabetes are at high risk for complications from influenza infections. Stand tall for them. Be their advocate.