It’s Flu season now, and with COVID-19 around, we must protect ourselves and our families. One way to do so is to schedule a flu shot (influenza vaccine) and get one. But, of course, there are a lot of myths about the flu and getting the flu shot. Still, Health Fitness Revolution and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reassure you that getting vaccinated will do more good than harm. Plus, the only harmful thing about vaccinating is the needle if you’re scared of them!
Myths
- The flu vaccine can give me the flu
Flu vaccines can’t cause the flu! The vaccine is made with an inactive virus (non-living). Your body then produces antibodies to protect you against the flu viruses. The soreness or muscle ache you may experience after getting vaccinated is the bodies response to the vaccine. Which is a good thing! Your body begins to build immunity for the active virus.
- I do not need the flu vaccine every year
The CDC recommends that people of age (6 months or older) get the vaccine. The vaccine is the best way to prevent the flu, and it’s recommended every year because the virus is constantly adapting and evolving. There are different vaccines for different age groups. Individuals 65 years or older get a higher dosage than those between the ages of 12 to 64.
- The flu vaccine can increase your risk of getting COVID-19
The CDC states no evidence that getting vaccinated will increase your risk of COVID-19.
- It’s better to get the flu than to get vaccinated
No! Getting sick with the flu might cause some severe damage to your health, especially for younger children, older adults, and people with certain health conditions. Being vaccinated builds your immunity against the virus, reducing the virus’s effects on your body.
- Getting an extra vaccination will add immunity
There is no evidence showing that getting vaccinated twice will add immunity. Therefore, the CDC recommends just one dose of the flu vaccine each season. Instead, try washing your hands more frequently or covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough. In addition, to build your immunity, ensure you take care of your diet and fitness to have the best chances of fighting off viruses if you ever get infected.
Benefits
- Keeps you safe from getting the flu
In 2019-2020, the CDC estimated that the flu vaccine prevented about 7.5 million influenza illnesses.
- It is an effective preventative tool
The flu vaccine has prevented an estimated decrease in associated medical visits of 3.7 million and 105,000 hospital visits
- Can reduce severity of illnesses
Flu-related hospitalizations were decreased by 41%, as were emergency department visits for children, which were cut by half. The vaccine helps our children’s bodies respond more quickly when they become sick from the flu because of the adapted immune system.
- Protection for pregnant women
Flu vaccines decrease flu-related respiratory infections for women and hospitalization by one-half. Also, since newborns cannot get the flu vaccination, pregnant women who get the flu vaccine while pregnant protect their babies after birth for several months.
- A flu vaccination will keep you and the people around you safe
The flu virus can significantly affect the vulnerable population, like babies, young children, and older people, especially if they already have underlying health conditions. So it’s essential to get vaccinated for your health and to protect the people around you to ensure they don’t get sick. Make sure also to try and live a healthy lifestyle to boost your immune system, especially during flu season, like eating the right foods! If you need places to get the flu vaccine, try local drug stores like CVS or Walgreens, and larger stores like Walmart and Kroger offer them. The flu vaccine is a great tool to decrease the chances of getting severely sick. Unfortunately, our bodies may not be ready to fight off viruses when we encounter them. But a flu shot will help our body create antibodies. So a line of defense is prepared if we encounter the flu virus. The CDC recommends vaccinating during September or October to last the flu season. But if you are not vaccinated, it is still recommended to be vaccinated; the peak of flu season hits around February.
