flu

What’s new about the Flu?

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As in previous years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that everyone 6 months of age and older, and who do not have a contraindication, should receive the annual flu vaccine.  A person’s age, health (current and past) and relevant allergies may be reasons to not receive the vaccine.  Check with your doctor to determine if the flu shot is right for you.

This year the CDC has suggested that the flu vaccine be given earlier than usual, due to currently circulating Covid-19 pandemic virus and the similarities between the flu and Covid-19.   Based upon symptoms, it is hard to tell the difference between the flu and Covid-19, since both diseases frequently cause: 

  • Fever

  • Cough

  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

  • Fatigue (tiredness)

  • Sore throat

  • Runny or stuffy nose

  • Muscle pain or body aches

  • Headache

  • Vomiting and/or diarrhea.

By getting the flu vaccine now, you can help avoid the possibility of getting the flu and Covid-19 at the same time. And, if you have received your flu shot and then become ill, it will be easier to determine which disease may be causing your symptoms and which treatment(s) will be best.  Flu shots given in September and October should last throughout the 2010-2021 flu season.

Check this link for more information about seasonal influenza.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/keyfacts.htm

FLU VACCINE MYTHS

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There are many myths and misconceptions about the flu vaccine that help convince people to skip their shot.  Let’s debunk some of those now.

  1. It’s too late to get vaccinated in December.  Getting vaccinated later in the season (December -March) can still protect you because flu season can last until May.

  2. The shots don’t really work.  The vaccine is typically 50-60% effective, sparing millions of Americans from catching the flu, and minimizing the effects of the virus on those who do.

  3. I don’t need a shot; I got one last year.  Flu viruses change constantly and so last year’s shot does not adequately protect against this year’s virus.  Plus, immune protection declines over time, so annual vaccination is needed for the best protection.

  4. I’m better off taking my chances.  Getting the flu also means becoming a carrier who can transmit the flu to loved ones and others.  Many flu patients are contagious BEFORE they realize they are ill.

  5. The flu vaccine is only necessary for the old and very young.  The vaccine is for anyone who does not want to get ill with the flu.  The Centers for Disease Control recommend the flu vaccine for everyone age 6 months and older.

  6. I could get the flu from the flu shot.  A flu shot can not give you the flu.  The inactivated strains of the flu in the shot shave been rendered biologically incapable of transmitting the flu.

  7. Only unhealthy people need the flu vaccine.  Influenza, a contagious disease, can lead to serious disease, including pneumonia.    According to the CDC, since 2012, flu deaths in the US have ranged from 12,000 to 56,000 per season.  And flu symptoms (cough, fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue and upper respiratory congestion) can disrupt work, school and social life and last for up to two weeks. 

  8. It’s not safe to get a flu shot while I’m pregnant.  Pregnant women are ESPECIALLY SUSCEPTIBLE to getting the flu.  The CDC recommends pregnant women get vaccinated during any trimester to protect themselves and their newborn babies for up to six months.

Can the flu shot cause the flu?

The viruses that cause influenza—the flu—change each year, making it more difficult for our immune systems to recognize and eliminate them. This, in turn, allows the flu to infect millions of people every year, causing pneumonia and other severe complications that can lead to hospitalization and death. Our best defense against the flu is to get the annual vaccination.

The flu vaccine is adjusted each year to adapt to the changes in the virus, which is why we have to get vaccinated every year. No tolerance develops to flu vaccination, so it continues to help every year.

Many patients believe that flu shots can cause the flu. However, patients who get sick after receiving the flu shot were already becoming ill at the time of their flu shot and simply did not know it yet. Controlled trials have proven conclusively that flu shots help prevent the flu and don’t cause it.