Don’t let your patients “myth” their flu shots
Published by
Steve Wong
on
It’s flu season, and the vaccine is being advertised everywhere from the doctor’s office to Target. At some locations (like employer-sponsored flu clinics), the shot is free. So why isn’t everybody getting vaccinated? In the next issue of our member newsletter, we’re addressing some common myths about the flu vaccine. Let your patients know the flu shot is safe – and the best way to stay healthy this flu season.
Myth: Influenza is a minor illness.
Truth: Influenza and its complications caused from 3,000 to 49,000 deaths each year from 1976 to 2006 in the United States.
Myth: The vaccine causes the flu.
Truth: You can’t get the flu by having a flu shot. The flu shot is made of killed virus and therefore cannot cause the flu. And the weakened viruses in the flu nasal spray vaccine can cause symptoms similar to a cold, but they can’t cause the flu.
Myth: The vaccine causes unpleasant side effects.
Truth: The vaccine causes no side effects in most people. Earlier vaccines (1940s to 1960s) did have more unpleasant side effects, but this is rare now.
Myth: The vaccine is ineffective because some people had a flu-like illness after getting a flu vaccine.
Truth: Although getting the vaccine prevents most people from becoming ill with the flu, some people still become infected. This may occur because a person is exposed to the virus before getting a vaccination or before it has taken effect, or because the vaccine does not match the circulating virus closely enough. A mild illness similar to a cold also can be caused by the live, weakened viruses in the influenza nasal spray vaccine. But any illness is usually milder than it would be without having had the vaccine.
The next issue of Our Neighborhood will be hitting mailboxes next month. Browse back issues.
By Healthwise Staff: Primary Medical Reviewer E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal
Medicine; Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine; Specialist Medical Reviewer; Christine Hahn, MD - Infectious Disease, Epidemiology.
Current as of December 6, 2017