Christmas cheer isn’t the only thing on the rise across our country this holiday season. Flu cases are surging to record numbers this year, putting a strain on hospitals that are already swamped with Covid-19 and RSV infections. And with hospitalizations and serious complications trending higher than normal, getting the flu vaccine is more important than ever.
Experts agree that getting your annual flu shot is the best way to protect yourself and others from influenza infection. Flu vaccines are safe, effective, and easily accessible, yet many people still choose to skip their annual shot. That’s due, in part, to a few myths and misconceptions that have gone as viral as the flu itself, and with similarly dangerous results.
As we kick off National Influenza Vaccination Week, we’re separating fact from fiction to deliver what you need to know (and then disregard) about the top six flu vaccine myths.
Myth #1: The flu isn’t that bad.
Fact: Influenza is a serious illness that can lead to hospitalization and death.
Many people believe that the flu isn’t “bad” enough to warrant a vaccine. While most healthy patients will recover from the flu in a few weeks, influenza is highly contagious and can cause serious complications such as pneumonia, dehydration, heart or brain inflammation, and multi-system organ failure. The CDC estimates that influenza causes hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and tens of thousands of deaths each year.
Myth #2: Young and healthy patients don’t need to get vaccinated.
Fact: Everyone older than 6 months of age should get a flu vaccine according to the CDC.
It’s true that certain high-risk patients are more vulnerable to serious flu illness. But even healthy patients can get infected with the flu and spread it to those who are particularly susceptible, including babies, the elderly, and those with chronic health conditions. The CDC recommends that everyone older than 6 months of age get an updated flu vaccine every year.
Myth #3: The flu vaccine can give you the flu.
Fact: You cannot get the flu from the flu vaccine.
The flu shot is made with an inactivated virus that cannot cause a flu infection. The achy, feverish feeling some patients experience after getting a flu shot is a normal immune response to vaccines, not the actual flu. The vaccine takes around two weeks to offer full protection, and symptoms can take a few days to present, so those who report getting the flu from the flu vaccine were likely already infected.
Myth #4: The flu vaccine has harmful side effects.
Fact: The flu vaccine is proven safe.
Hundreds of millions of Americans have safely received the flu vaccine over the past 50 years. Serious side effects are exceedingly rare; effects of the shot are generally mild and only last for 1-2 days. The most common reported side effect is soreness and redness at the injection site.
Myth #5: I don’t need a flu vaccine every year.
Fact: You should get an updated flu vaccine every year.
The viruses that cause influenza are constantly changing, and more than one may be circulating in any given season. Flu vaccines are reviewed and updated annually to protect against the viruses that are currently a threat. Last years’ vaccine may not be effective against the viruses that are causing illness this year.
Additionally, your protection from the vaccine weakens over time. Getting an annual shot causes your body to make new antibodies, keeping you fully protected from the flu year after year.
Myth #6: I need a primary care doctor to get the flu vaccine.
Fact: Flu vaccines are easily accessible at various places.
A primary care physician is an important part of your healthcare team, but you aren’t required to have a regular doctor to get your flu vaccine. Flu shots are available at low-cost in a variety of places, including pharmacies, county health departments, urgent care centers, and public health clinics. You can find the nearest locations in your zip code at vaccines.gov.