Youre Experiencing Side Effects
If you had mild symptoms that started very soon after the shot, you were likely experiencing side effects from the vaccine. These usually last 1 to 2 days. The flu shot can cause symptoms that feel like the flu:
-
Body aches
You can also have arm redness, swelling, and soreness where the shot was injected.
How Can I Protect Myself From Flu
Experts have warned that this year’s flu outbreak could be more harmful than usual.
Findings from the Government agency’s research found that catching flu and Covid-19 at the same time nearly doubles the risk of death.
The best way for vulnerable groups to get protected against the flu is to get the jab.
With that in mind, there are some important steps we can all take to protect ourselves and others from flu.
Here Dr Ben Littlewood-Hillsdon, chief medical officer of DoctorLink, shares his five top tips for beating the winter bug…
Severe Flu Season May Be Coming
Health officials are warning that flu season may be more severe than normal. Thats because we didnt have much of a flu season in 2020-2021, and our immunities have waned.
Dr. Armitage says flu shots reduce risk of getting the flu and significantly reduce the odds of getting severely sick if you do catch the flu.
There will be many people getting flu shots and COVID-19 booster shots at the same time, in addition to those getting their first COVID-19 vaccines. Flu shots are recommended in September and October. It takes about two weeks after vaccination to develop antibodies.
Typically, we can start seeing influenza outbreaks as early as November some years, Dr. Armitage says. For sure, you should have a flu shot by November.
You May Like: When Was The Flu Vaccine Made
How Do I Know Which Pharmacies Have Moderna Appointments
Boosters are available at roughly 80,000 places across the country, including over 40,000 local pharmacies. Some 90% of Americans have a vaccine site within 5 miles of where they live.
A terrific free service in conjunction with the CDC sends you information when you text your ZIP code to this number: 438829. The response will show you COVID-19 vaccine locations in your area, along with the brand they carry for certain age groups, for instance, Moderna 18+. This can save you the trial and error of calling around, or showing up to your appointment to find that your booster of choice isn’t available. The text can also give you a shortcut to make your appointment right from your phone screen.
You can also check Vaccines.gov to see which vaccines are available where, and call 800-232-0233 for vaccine information.
Misconceptions About Physician Consent For Vaccination
Do pregnant women or people with pre-existing medical conditions need special permission or written consent from their doctor to get a flu vaccine?
No. There is no recommendation for pregnant women or people with pre-existing medical conditions to seek special permission or secure written consent from their doctor for vaccination if they get vaccinated at a worksite clinic, pharmacy or other location outside of their physicians office. With rare exception, CDC recommends an annual flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older, including pregnant women and people with medical conditions.
A variety of flu vaccine products are available . Vaccine providers should be aware of the approved age indications of the vaccine they are using and of any contraindications or precautions. Providers also should appropriately screen all people getting vaccinated for allergies to vaccine components or other contraindications. People who have previously had a severe allergic reaction to influenza vaccine or any of its ingredients should generally not be vaccinated.
There are some people who should not get a flu vaccine without first speaking with their doctor. These include:
Pregnant women or people with pre-existing medical conditions who get vaccinated should get a flu shot.
Also Check: Flu And Pneumonia Vaccine Same Day
You May Still Get Sick Even If Youre Vaccinated
It takes two weeks to build full immunity after receiving your flu shot. If you get sick shortly after receiving the vaccine, you were already infected with the virus before your body created a defense against it. It wasnt the flu shot that caused your sickness, just unlucky timing.
Additionally, vaccine effectiveness varies from year to year. Vaccines are based on a prediction of what influenza virus types are expected to be circulating this year, and if that prediction is not completely accurate, the vaccine may be less protective than expected, says Gendlina.
Its also possible that your body didnt mount a full immune response if youre immunocompromised, pregnant, or age 65 years or older. Those medical conditions can leave you more vulnerable to infection even if you are immunized. If youre vaccinated, the immune system will still act to help fight the infection if you do get the flu, likely resulting in a more mild course of the flu illness than if you had not been vaccinated.
RELATED: What groups are at a high risk for flu complications?
What Does The Moderna Booster Shot Do
A COVID-19 booster shot — whether from Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson — tops off your immune response and guards against a breakthrough COVID-19 infection as the vaccine’s effectiveness decreases over time.
Recent studies of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines show that their effectiveness can begin to wane after six months. Moderna said early data suggests that those who received the Moderna vaccine in 2020 are showing a higher rate of breakthrough COVID-19 infections than those vaccinated this year, suggesting the need for a booster to maintain high levels of protection.
For more on coronavirus treatments and vaccines, here’s what we know about monoclonal antibody treatments, the new federal vaccine mandates and why some people may not want the shot.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
You May Like: What To Do If Arm Hurts After Flu Shot
Who Should Get A Flu Vaccine
With rare exceptions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine. People with egg allergies can still get flu shots, although those with life-threatening allergies to other vaccine ingredients, like gelatin or antibiotics, should not.
Dr. Gandhi emphasized that those who are pregnant should get a flu shot this year, because they are more likely than others to get severely ill with the flu. Flu shots have been given to millions of pregnant people over the years, and they are safe, Dr. Gandhi said. By getting the flu vaccine when pregnant, babies will also be protected, because flu-fighting antibodies are passed to the infant and provide protection after they are born.
Is It Normal To Feel Sick After The Flu Shot
On average, about 20,000 people die from the flu every year.
FDA approves new flu medication in the form of a single-dose pill
Mrs. Jones, would you like the flu vaccine today?
No, doc. When I was younger I would get it and always get sick, so now — at my age — I think I will pass on it this year and take my chances.
This a very common exchange across all primary care providers offices at this time of the year — and a great opportunity to really try to understand why Mrs. Jones feels that the vaccines made her sick, and an opportunity for educational awareness about the flu vaccine.
The influenza, or flu, is responsible for approximately 20,000 deaths per year on average in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The American Academy of Family Physicians states that every year about 130,000 people go to a hospital with the flu.
An effective, important way to protect yourself is by getting a flu shot — which cannot actually give you the flu. There are many reasons why people dont get the flu vaccine, but I hope that you will find facts and clarifications on common misconceptions about the vaccine below.
1. What is the flu?
Influenza is an infection in the nose, throat and lungs caused by a virus. This may be the worst cold of your life.
2. What are some of the symptoms of the flu?
3. How does the vaccine work?
4. Can I take medications instead of the flu shot?
5. What are side effects of the flu vaccine?
Also Check: What Does The Doctor Give For The Flu
Is The Moderna Booster Shot A Third Dose
Booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines are currently half doses of the same vaccine used in the first two full shots. The goal is to top up the vaccine formula that reinforces the body’s immune response against the virus and its variants. The Moderna booster authorized by the CDC is a 50-microgram dose, while the first two shots were each 100 micrograms.
Moderna is also working on a combination shot that contains this year’s flu vaccine and its COVID-19 booster vaccine, but that’s not available right now.
Moderna’s booster shot is currently half the size of a full dose.
Dont Be Surprised When You Get Omicron
America is in for a lot more breakthrough infections. Heres what to do if you fall sick.
My breakthrough infection started with a scratchy throat just a few days before Thanksgiving. Because Im vaccinated, and had just tested negative for COVID-19 two days earlier, I initially brushed off the symptoms as merely a cold. Just to be sure, I got checked again a few days later. Positive. The result felt like a betrayal after 18 months of reporting on the pandemic. And as I walked home from the testing center, I realized that I had no clue what to do next.
I had so many questions: How would I isolate myself in a shared apartment? And why for 10 days, like the doctor at the testing site had advised? Should I get tested again? Following the doctors orders, my partnerwho had tested negativedragged a sleeping bag to the couch. Masks came on, windows went up, and flights were canceled. I ate flavorless dinners on my side of the apartment. One by one, the symptoms I knew so well on paper made their real-life debut: cough, fever, fatigue, and a loss of smell so severe, I couldnt detect my dogs habitually fishy breath.
Read Also: Why Do Your Arm Hurt After A Flu Shot
Can Flu Shots Make You Sick
The new flu season is right around the corner, which means the push to get you vaccinated is about to ramp up. In the United States, flu season typically runs from October to May. Many people wonder if the flu shot is worth it and are worried the flu shot can make them sick as in infecting them with the flu. We are here to help clear up any flu shot misconceptions.
The myth that the flu vaccine will give someone the flu is the most common mistaken belief that leads people to avoid the flu shot. The virus in the vaccine is not active, and an inactive virus cannot transmit disease. Therefore, its physically impossible to get the flu from the flu shot. Because the flu virus evolves every year, different strains are more prevalent from year to year, meaning you need a yearly vaccine to protect yourself against the flu.
All persons aged 6 months and older are recommended for annual flu vaccination, with rare exceptions, according to the CDC.
It is not uncommon to feel under the weather after you receive a flu vaccine. In fact, this is a welcome sign. When you receive the flu shot, your body recognizes the inactive flu virus as a foreign invader, which causes your immune system to develop antibodies to attack the flu virus if or when you get exposed to it in the future. So, while you may experience some unpleasant side effects, none will be as bad as if you contracted the flu.
- Trouble breathing
Is Moderna Working On Other Covid Vaccine Boosters
On Monday, Moderna’s Hoge said with its current 50-microgram COVID booster authorized by the Food and Drug Adminstration, you get “quite respectable” protection. The company contines to study an omicron-specific vaccine and an multivaliant vaccine that could protect against other variants, including the alpha and delta strains in case either is needed. The company said it is also studying a 100-microgram version of its booster that can raise antibody protection 83 fold.
Hoge said Moderna could have new versions of its vaccine ready early in 2022 but is not planning to ask the CDC and FDA to amend its booster authorization for the 100-microgram trial version of its booster.
Also Check: Over The Counter Flu Drugs
What Vaccine Is Being Offered
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine or Moderna vaccine is being offered as a booster dose to most people, which means they might receive a different vaccine to their first two jabs.
Some people may be offered a booster dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine if they cannot have the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccine.
‘normal’ To Feel A Bit Unwell After Covid Vaccine
Some people will feel unwell after their Covid vaccine – but that is entirely normal and to be expected, doctors say.
More than one in 10 people may feel after-effects, including headache, tiredness and tenderness where the injection was given.
But people must not be deterred from having the vaccine, which saves lives, the Royal College of GPs says.
After-effects are usually mild and disappear within days, experts say.
But they can still feel quite grim.
David Kidd, 49, from Yorkshire, was unprepared for the cluster of symptoms he experienced shortly after his first dose.
“I had heard that there were some possible ones,” he says.
“They do say you might get flu-like symptoms but I was not expecting to get lots of them together.
“I had the vaccine at 12:00 on Saturday and I felt fine for the rest of the day, until about 18:00 that evening.”
Mr Kidd had:
- a temperature
- freezing cold extremities
“It felt like I had plunged my hands and feet into ice or a freezer,” he says.
“It was really painful and my head was banging away. It was the worst headache I have ever had in my life.
“And my eyes were burning, along with the obligatory nausea.
“I couldn’t get comfortable all through the night.”
Recommended Reading: Which Cold And Flu Medicine Is Best
Can The Flu Shot Make You Sick
Have you ever gotten the flu shot and felt a little sick afterward? Youre not alone. Many people feel under the weather after receiving the vaccine, causing them to wonder,
Can the flu shot make you sick?
The short answer is no, you cant get the flu from the flu shot.
However, you can get flu shot side effects that feel almost flu-like.
What Should I Do If I Get The Flu
If you think you have the flu, a good first step is to call or set up a telemedicine visit with your doctor, if you can. A virtual visit may suffice and your doctor could advise on next steps for testing, Dr. Gandhi said, to determine if you have the flu, Covid-19, both or something else.
If you do have the flu, you may be eligible to receive antiviral drugs that can reduce symptom severity, Dr. Gandhi said. Also, drink plenty of water and other clear liquids, take over-the-counter pain relievers if needed and avoid contact with others. If possible, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone.
You May Like: Theraflu Expressmax Severe Cold And Flu Side Effects
What Protection Does A Flu Vaccine Provide If I Do Get Sick With Flu
-
Some people who get vaccinated may still get sick. However, flu vaccination has been shown in some studies to reduce severity of illness in people who get vaccinated but still get sick. A 2017 study showed that flu vaccination reduced deaths, intensive care unit admissions, ICU length of stay, and overall duration of hospitalization among hospitalized adults with flu. Another study in 2018 showed that a vaccinated adult who was hospitalized with flu was 59 percent less likely to be admitted to the ICU than someone who had not been vaccinated. Among adults in the ICU with flu, vaccinated patients on average spent 4 fewer days in the hospital than those who were not vaccinated.
Myth #: Antibiotics Can Fight The Flu If You Get It
Antibiotics only kill bacteria, but the flu is caused by a virus.
There are antiviral drugs that can fight flu infections, but they’ve only been shown to work when they’re given within 48 hours of the start of symptoms. “Most people, by the time they go to the doctor, they’re past the 48-hour mark,” said Dr. Dennis Cunningham, an infectious disease specialist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
For patients hospitalized with severe flu, the drugs may help, he said. But they aren’t a cure, and for most people who aren’t hospitalized, these drugs may only cut down on the duration of the flu by a day or two.
Recommended Reading: Will Getting Two Flu Shots Hurt You
Is The Moderna Covid
All booster shots will be free, regardless of immigration or health insurance status. However, depending on where you get your booster shot — for example, at a local pharmacy — you may be asked to log your insurance status. You may be asked to provide your insurance card information, including your name, date of birth and membership number. You will not be charged for your COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot.