Each year, 5 to 20 percent of Americans contract the flu virus, and 200,000 are hospitalized due to complications. Despite the number of people who fall victim to the flu each season, some Americans still hesitate to receive the vaccine. For many, the hesitation comes from misperceptions regarding vaccination side effects and effectiveness. To ensure you understand the real risks and rewards, learn the facts regarding the flu vaccine and how it can protect you from contracting the illness this flu season.
Myth: Receiving the flu vaccine can give you the flu.
Perhaps the most common misperception, receiving a flu vaccine has not been proven to cause the flu.
Fact: Side effects may occur after receiving the flu vaccine.
Vaccine side effects may include soreness at the injection site, redness, swelling, low-grade fever, and headache.
Myth: Only adults should receive the flu vaccine.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), everyone six months old and older should receive an annual flu vaccine. Vaccinations are particularly important for those at high risk for serious flu complications, such as the elderly, and those with compromised immune symptoms.
Fact: Some may be susceptible to allergens in the flu vaccine.
Some may experience life-threatening allergies to the flu vaccine or its ingredients, which include eggs, gelatin, and antibiotics. Talk to your doctor if you have any allergies. He or she will be able to tell you if the flu vaccine is right for you.
Myth: There is only one flu vaccine appropriate for all ages.
There are different types of flu vaccinations and strengths. Your doctor will tell you which version of the vaccine is right for you. A high dose flu vaccination is available for those age 65 and older. It is recommended that adults younger than 65 should not get the high-dose flu shot or the flu shot with adjuvant. Those younger than 18 or older than 64 years old should not get the intradermal flu shot.
Fact: The CDC recommends the injectable flu vaccination.
The CDC recommends that during the 2016 to 2017 season, individuals should receive an injectable flu vaccine. The nasal spray flu vaccine is not recommended during 2016 to 2017.
Myth: It’s better to get the flu than the flu vaccine.
The flu virus may cause severe complications and health risks, especially among the elderly, children, and those with certain chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease. Getting vaccinated is a safer choice.
Fact: It is best to receive a vaccine every year.
The CDC recommends receiving the flu vaccine annually for those six months old and older. An individual’s immune protection from vaccination declines over time, making annual vaccination the best way to protect against the complications of the flu.
Myth: Getting vaccinated twice offers added protection against the virus.
Studies have not shown any added benefits or effectiveness when adults receive more than once dose of the influenza vaccine. This is also true among those with weakened immune systems, or the elderly.
Receiving an annual flu vaccine has been proven to be the best way to protect yourself against the complications of the flu. Talk to your doctor today about the risks and rewards of receiving the flu vaccine, and make the decision that is right for you.
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According to the Center for Disease Control, “Flu season” in the United States begins in October and may continue as late as May. Influenza, or the flu virus, includes the following symptoms:
- Cough and/or sore throat
- Runny/stuffy nose
- Headaches or body aches
- Fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
Anyone six months and older can receive a flu shot and it is recommended that most people be vaccinated each season. A vaccination can be administered nasally or injected through the skin. Injections can be trivalent, effecting three different types of viruses, or quadrivalent, meaning they’ll fight against four types of flu viruses.
Alongside flu hype can be misleading myths and misconceptions, which may include the following:
Myth #1: Cold weather causes the flu.
Going outside in the cold cannot increase your risk of flu. Though the flu season may coordinate with the colder months, there is no real coordination. The only real connection to the spread of the flu virus and the weather, is the increase of contact in close quarters during the colder months.
Myth #2: The seasonal flu is annoying but not harmful.
Though some consider the flu “just a bad cold,” the symptoms of the flu often rival any seasonal cold symptoms. For example, a cold may include a runny nose, sinus congestion and a sore throat, where the flu often makes those who contract it feel as though they’ve been “hit by a truck.” with a fever, body aches, nausea and possible vomiting.
Myth 3#: You can get swine flu from pork-based products.
After the recent swine-flu scare some people swore of pork, bacon etc. However, experts have stated there is no way to contract the flu virus from pork-based products.
Myth #4: The flu vaccine can give you the flu.
This being the most common myth, experts have openly stated that there is no possible way that you can contract the flu from the flu vaccine. The flu vaccine only contains a dead virus and cannot actually infect the patient, and in the FluMist nasal spray, the live virus is specially engineered to kill the parts of the existing virus that make people sick.
Most experts claim that the side effects of the vaccine are often similar to the flu, making it easy to confuse the symptoms for the flu itself. In addition, some people may get sick with an unrelated cold or virus right after being injected with the flu vaccine.
Myth #5: There’s no treatment for the flu.
When taken within at least 48 hours of symptoms, Tamiflu and Relenza can be taken by pill form or inhaled to reduce the length of sickness or level of overall contagion.
Myth #6: Antibiotics can cure the flu.
Though in some cases of the flu there can be bacterial complications or issues with side effects, the flu virus cannot be cured with antibiotics. Antibiotics cannot even help with prevention, and unnecessary consumption may actually lead to a secondary bacterial infection.
Myth #7: The flu can only seriously affect the elderly.
Though the flu is well known for causing severe medical issues with the elderly, it can also affect very young children, with 90% of the H1N1 swine flu affection people under the age of 65. However, 90% of seasonal flu deaths can be attributed to the elderly.
Myth #8: If you get the flu once, you may get it again in the same season.
Because you can be affected by more than one strain of the flu virus, it’s very possible to get sick with different forms of the flu multiple times during the same season. Doctors encourage patients to get vaccinated, regardless of if they’ve been sick already or not.
Experts also advise against skipping years between vaccines, saying that each season the strain changes, making a different type of virus the most dominant one in need of targeting.
Myth #9: There’s no point in getting vaccinated past November.
Because of an increase in supplies preparedness, the flu vaccine is usually available until December or January, making it easy to fight illness throughout the entire flu season.
Overall, thorough hand washing and an annual fly vaccine can help you stay healthy throughout the year. If you haven’t gotten your flu shot this year, make a point to go in the next week. If you have any questions about if you are a good candidate for the flu show, feel free to contact the Chouchani, Sayegh and Bagnarello offices.
More information about the vaccine.
The CDC has created a full list of available vaccines for the 2014-2015 year as well as provided a vaccine locator to help get stay healthy this season. To view current information about flu levels and activity in the United States, you can view the CDC’s weekly FluView report.
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Each year, 5 to 20 percent of Americans contract the flu virus, and 200,000 are hospitalized due to complications. Despite the number of people who fall victim to the flu each season, some Americans still hesitate to receive the vaccine. For many, the hesitation comes from misperceptions regarding vaccination side effects and effectiveness. To ensure you understand the real risks and rewards, learn the facts regarding the flu vaccine and how it can protect you from contracting the illness this flu season.