Everyone's least-favourite season has arrived: flu season. Preparation can include stocking up on hand sanitiser, soft tissues, and of course the annual flu shot. But getting vaccinated isn't on everyone's to-do list-in part because many people think it actually gives you the flu. In fact, one survey of 700 parents and found more than half of them believed the flu shot could make you sick.
We spoke to infectious disease expert Dr Lisa Maragakis to ask her one simple question: Can the flu shot make you sick? According to Dr Maragakis and every other flu expert on the planet-the answer is flat-out no. "It's not a live virus vaccine," says Dr Maragakis. "It's a killed or inactivated virus and can’t make you sick."
So why do people think the flu shot can make you sick?
The truth is, side effects of the flu shot might make you feel a little bit under the weather. "When you get a vaccine, it’s really triggering your immune system to respond so that it learns how to fight off the influenza virus and can protect you," says Dr Maragakis. That process of activating the immune system can sometimes feel like you’re catching something because you start to feel achy, and your arm might get a little sore. Some people even develop a low grade fever as the immune system responds to the vaccination-but it's not a contraction of the flu, she explains.
Plus, there are so many different viruses circulating during the flu season, there's no guarantee you won't get sick from something other than the flu. "A fair number of people get the flu vaccine, and it just so happens that they caught something else around the time and they link the two things together in their minds," says Dr Maragakis. So you still need to be cautious about washing your hands frequently and avoiding touching your face even after you've had the flu vaccine.
Then there's the chance you could catch the flu before your vaccine has had enough time to build up the antibodies that fend off influenza. That takes about two weeks, and unfortunately, it's possible that you could catch the flu during that 14-day period.
How effective is the flu shot, anyway?
You've probably heard that the flu shot isn't 100 percent effective-and you heard right. You see, the flu vaccine changes every year based on the specific viruses currently circling the globe. More than 100 flu national influenza centers worldwide retrieve flu samples from patients year-round, and based on the data they collect, and every February, they select the viruses they believe are most likely to circulate during the following flu season. In the end, the flu shot usually ends up being 40 to 60 percent effective.
Why it's still important to get a flu shot
Even if you wind up catching a flu strain that wasn't covered in the vaccine, research shows being inoculated lessens your risk of developing severe complications from the disease. And yes, flu complications can be serious. Last year, more than 900,000 people were hospitalised with the flu, and about 80,000 people died.
It's also important to remember that skipping the flu shot isn't just dangerous for you-it's dangerous for the people around you who are particularly prone to complications, such as people 65 and older, children younger than 5, pregnant women, and people with long-term medical conditions like heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes.
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