There is a lot of misinformation out there about influenza (“the flu”) and the influenza vaccine. Here is a quick quiz about some of those facts. See how well you score.
- The flu vaccine can give you the flu. Some people receiving the vaccine may experience mild muscle aches, low grade fever, runny nose, headache, or a sore throat for a day or two after the vaccine. This is not “the flu”, but rather a possible side effect of your body’s production of antibodies to the virus. Also if you were to actually be truly diagnosed with influenza soon after receiving the vaccine that would most likely be due to the delay in the vaccine’s effectiveness. It takes about 2 weeks for the flu vaccine to be effective. These side effects are brief and very mild compared to actually contracting the flu.
- I don’t need to get the flu vaccine; I am healthy. Although the numbers vary yearly, approximately 35,000 people will die annually in the US due to the flu or complications from it. A sizable percentage indeed are elderly or have significant medical problems which also contribute to their death, however every year completely healthy young patients do die from this preventable disease.
- I got a flu vaccine last year so I don’t need one this year. This is false for at least 2 reasons. First, the flu vaccine has the potential to mutate every year and have a new strain be the primary type which affects the population. The H1N1 strain of 2009 was a new strain which was not contained with that year’s vaccine. As you may remember there was a second vaccine rushed into production to cover that new flu virus during that season. Secondly, even with the best immune response the vaccine will provide immunity for around 9 months so for the most part last year’s vaccine will not adequately cover you for this year.
- The flu vaccine will prevent me from catching colds and stomach viruses this winter. The flu vaccine prevents exactly one virus, INFLUENZA. You will still contract other types of viruses if you are exposed to them. That does not mean the flu vaccine didn’t work.
Hopefully you scored well. If not, come in to the office for your flu vaccine and we can go over some more influenza fun facts!
-Glen Ogden, M.D.
Lake Lewisville Pediatrics 