Debunking Flu Myths
Columbia,SC. (WOLO) —- The holidays are here and soon you’ll be traveling to enjoy the company of family and friends. There is however one thing you may want to bring with you, peace of mind.
We are in peak flu season and it’s already proven to be an especially active season with more than 2 thousand cases reported and at least one death in the Upstate linked to Influenza.
It’s often said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but not everyone believes that. Yes, some people have several myths about the flu shot. Here’s the fact from fiction according to Pharmacist Krystal Walton.
#1 MYTH: You can get sick from the flu shot.
FACT: The flu shot isn’t live, so it can’t cause the flu. Sometimes patients are exposed to the flu before receiving the shot, so when they get sick, it’s really from the virus they were exposed to previously. The flu shot typically takes up to two weeks to become effective, so during that time, you could become ill with the flu. The viruses the flushot protects you from are respiratory in nature. Many people incorrectly believe the flu vaccine is protection against the stomach flu. Some patients also have gotten the stomach flu soon after their vaccination and believe it was caused by the flu vaccine. This is also untrue.The most common side effects from the influenza shot are soreness, redness, tenderness or swelling where the shot was given; however, low-grade fever, headache and muscle aches also may occur.
#2 MYTH: Flu shots are ineffective most of the time.
FACT: The flu shot does, in fact, work. When you get the flu shot, it stimulates your body’s immune system to make antibodies, which can recognize and attack that form of the flu virus inside your body. The vaccine greatly reduces your chances of getting the flu, and can also make your illness milder if you do get sick. The flu shot also can help protect people around you who are at a higher risk of getting a serious illness, such as elderly people, patients with chronic conditions and young children. This extra protection improves the chances of having a happy, healthy and illness-free flu season.
#3 MYTH: There’s no point in getting a flu shot if it’s later in the flu season.
FACT: Getting the flu shot is important even if it’s later in the season! Sometimes there’s naturally a late onset of the virus, so the months in which flu is most prevalent get pushed back a month or two. Because flu viruses are always changing—it’s difficult to say when flu season ends.
#4 MYTH: There is only one type of flu shot each year.
FACT: Each year, the seasonal influenza vaccine includes the strands that researchers found will be most prevalent throughout the year. This year, there is an option for the Trivalent (3-strain), which protects from the three most common flu strains, or the Quadrivalent (4-strain), which includes one additional strain. There are also immune-boosting influenza vaccines for those ages 65 and above, and preservative-free versions for pregnant women or those who are allergic to mercury.
#5: MYTH: Flu shots are only for really sick people.
FACT: The flu does not discriminate. Healthy individuals are just as likely to be infected and may suffer serious consequences without an immunization. Many who are infected do not show symptoms and can act as carriers of the virus, infecting their loved ones. Prevention is always better than cure. Your best defense against the flu is to get vaccinated.
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