Will The Flu Vaccine Give Me The Flu
The vaccine cannot cause the flu because it does not contain any live viruses. The vaccine stimulates an immune response which can include symptoms such as fever, headache and tiredness. This creates immunity but doesn’t cause the illness. Most people tolerate the vaccine well.
Any after-effects from the vaccine are usually mild and last a day or two, and may include:
- soreness, aching and/or redness at the injection site
- tiredness, feeling a little unwell or having a mild fever.
These are signs your immune system is working with the vaccine. Contact your doctor know if you have any more severe reaction to the flu vaccination or if you are at all concerned.
Flu Vaccine And Coronavirus
Flu vaccination is important because:
- more people are likely to get flu this winter as fewer people will have built up natural immunity to it during the COVID-19 pandemic
- if you get flu and COVID-19 at the same time, research shows you’re more likely to be seriously ill
- getting vaccinated against flu and COVID-19 will provide protection for you and those around you for both these serious illnesses
If you’ve had COVID-19, it’s safe to have the flu vaccine. It will still be effective at helping to prevent flu.
What Is The Difference Between A Cold And Flu
Influenza and the common cold are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. Flu is caused by influenza viruses only, whereas the common cold can be caused by a number of different viruses, including rhinoviruses, parainfluenza, and seasonal coronaviruses.Seasonal coronaviruses should not be confused with SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Because flu and the common cold have similar symptoms, it can be difficult to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. In general, flu is worse than the common cold, and symptoms are typically more intense and begin more abruptly. Colds are usually milder than flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose than people who have flu. Colds generally do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations. Flu can have serious associated complications.
Read Also: Are Flu Shots Good For A Year
Everyone 6 Months And Older Should Get The Flu Shot
The flu shot is your best defence against the flu. The flu shot is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older.
It can save lives by:
- protecting you, if you’re exposed to the virus
- preventing you from getting very sick
- protecting people close to you:
- because you’re less likely to spread the virus
- who are at higher risk of serious flu complications if they get the flu
The flu shot wont protect you against COVID-19.
Allergic Reactions To The Flu Vaccine
It’s very rare for anyone to have a serious allergic reaction to the flu vaccine. If this does happen, it usually happens within minutes.
The person who vaccinates you will be trained to deal with allergic reactions and treat them immediately.
Anyone can report a suspected side effect of a vaccine through the Yellow Card Scheme.
Read Also: Is Publix Giving Gift Cards For Flu Shots In 2021
Myth #: You Don’t Need To Get The Flu Vaccine Every Year
There are two reasons why doctors recommend that people get the flu vaccine every year, Cunningham said.
For one, the strains of the flu virus that are circulating change from year to year. “It’s like the common cold there’s more than one type of virus that causes the flu,” and, in fact, there are hundreds of flu viruses, he said.
Each year, health officials identify the virus strains that are the most likely to cause illness during the upcoming flu season, according to the CDC.
Second, the immunity you develop after getting the shot wanes by the following year. “If you get your shot in August, you’ll be safe through March, but those antibodies won’t be for the next flu season,” Cunningham said.
Is It A Cold The Flu Or Covid How To Tell Sniffles And Chills Apart This Holiday Season
The common cold made an early appearance this summer with an unprecedented uptick of respiratory viruses. Since then, health care providers say cases havent slowed down.
You should never underestimate the repertoire and timing of viruses because theyre always around, said Dr. Len Horovitz, internist and pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Im seeing just as many colds as I saw this summer, thats not dying.
Although milder than a typical pre-pandemic winter, the colder months havent stopped seasonal viruses like the flu from joining SARS-COV-2 the virus that causes COVID-19 making it harder for Americans to know what they have when they wake up with the sniffles.
Cold symptoms are generally less severe than COVID-19 or the flu, said Dr. Manoj Gandhi, senior medical director for genetic testing solutions at Thermo Fisher Scientific. But breakthrough infections of COVID-19 in vaccinated people typically result in mild symptoms that are easy to confuse.
“When people get vaccinations for the flu , the whole point of the vaccine is that it makes the disease less severe,” he said. “You get a muted response to the virus … seeing a mild fever, maybe some weakness here and there.”
Many cold, flu and COVID-19 symptoms overlap: fever, runny nose, sore throat, coughing and general fatigue. Experts say the only symptom that may distinguish a nasty cold from COVID-19 is the loss of taste or smell.
Don’t Miss: Iv Therapy For Stomach Flu
Where To Get The Flu Vaccine
You can have the NHS flu vaccine at:
- your GP surgery
- a pharmacy offering the service
- your midwifery service if you’re pregnant
- a hospital appointment
If you do not have your flu vaccine at your GP surgery, you do not have to tell the surgery. This will be done for you.
It’s important to go to your vaccination appointments unless you have symptoms of COVID-19.
Misconceptions About Stomach Flu
Is the stomach flu really flu?
No. Many people use the term stomach flu to describe illnesses with nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. These symptoms can be caused by many different viruses, bacteria or even parasites. While vomiting, diarrhea, and being nauseous or sick to your stomach can sometimes be related to flu more commonly in children than adults these problems are rarely the main symptoms of influenza. Flu is a respiratory disease and not a stomach or intestinal disease.
You May Like: Which Person Is Least Likely To Have Flu Related Complications
Can I Have The Flu Vaccine If I Have Latex Allergy
Fluad Quad, Afluria Quad and Afluria Quad Junior syringes do not have any components made using natural rubber latex.Influvac Tetra syringes do not contain any latex components. However, the manufacturer is unable to confirm that the product did not come in contact with any latex materials during the manufacturing and packaging process.If you are highly sensitive to latex and have had a severe allergic reaction to latex, tell your healthcare provider before getting the flu vaccine.
Can A Flu Shot Make You Get Sick
It isnt out of the ordinary to react to the flu shot, as its simply a sign that your immune system getting to work protecting you. Common responses include a sore arm, headache, nausea, muscle aches or a mild fever. The vaccine itself is adapted every year, Dr. Ford says. So its very hard to predict, from one year to the next, if youre going to have a mild reaction, no reaction or a more problematic reaction.
However, if you do get sick after getting a flu shot, its not because of the vaccine. The only direct reactions to the shot are going to happen within the first 24 to 48 hours, Dr. Ford affirms. As mentioned before, if you get sick after that, people might think its related to getting the flu shot. But its just a coincidence.
Also Check: Flu Symptoms For 2 Weeks
Misconceptions About Flu Vaccine Effectiveness
Influenza vaccine effectiveness can vary. The protection provided by a flu vaccine varies from season to season and depends in part on the age and health status of the person getting the vaccine and the similarity or match between the viruses in the vaccine and those in circulation. During years when the flu vaccine match is good, it is possible to measure substantial benefits from flu vaccination in terms of preventing flu illness and complications. However, the benefits of flu vaccination will still vary, depending on characteristics of the person being vaccinated , what influenza viruses are circulating that season and, potentially, which type of flu vaccine was used. For more information, see Vaccine Effectiveness How well does the Flu Vaccine Work. For information specific to this season, visit About the Current Flu Season.
There are many reasons to get an influenza vaccine each year. Flu vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones against flu and its potentially serious complications.
Below is a summary of the benefits of flu vaccination and selected scientific studies that support these benefits.
- Flu vaccination can keep you from getting sick with flu.
- A 2018 study showed that from 2012 to 2015, flu vaccination among adults reduced the risk of being admitted to an intensive care unit with flu by 82 percent.
Is it too late to get vaccinated after Thanksgiving ?
Does It Matter Where And When I Get The Shot
Its fine to get a flu shot wherever they are offered, including at flu clinics, pharmacies, health departments or doctors offices, Dr. Palese said.
The C.D.C. usually recommends that everyone get vaccinated by the end of October at the latest. Given that population immunity against the flu is probably low, Dr. Gandhi said, its possible that the flu will peak earlier than usual . Also, it takes two weeks after vaccination for the body to develop full immunity, so if you havent yet gotten it, run out and get the flu vaccine immediately, she said.
Some kids specifically children between 6 months and 8 years old who have never received a flu vaccine, as well as those who have only ever received one dose should get two doses of the flu vaccine, at least four weeks apart, said Dr. Kelly Fradin, a pediatrician at Private Medical in New York City.
That said, even if its late in a flu season, it still is worthwhile to get a vaccine. The protection from the flu shot likely builds, even over years, said Dr. Fradin. If you get a vaccine after flu season has waned, it might anticipate the strains that will spread next season and provide some protection then, she said.
Read Also: Does Costco Have Flu Shots
I Hear The Flu Shot Doesn’t Work
It’s complicated. The influenza virus isnt the only virus that creates similar symptoms.
You might get a flu shot and still get a common cold, which can feel a lot like the flu. Because of this, some people think the flu shot didnt work, even though it did.
Its important to remember that no medicine is 100% effective, 100% of the time. That said, youre much less likely to get the flu if you get the flu shot.
If The Omicron Variant Spreads Here Will Florida See More Lockdowns Mask Mandates Or Vaccinate Mandates
No, according to Governor Ron DeSantis, who said at an event in Oldsmar that there would be no further lockdowns or other restrictions because of the omicron variant.
A special session of the Florida Legislature, demanded by DeSantis to undermine the COVID safety measures for large businesses from the Biden administration and stop local governments and schools from enacting their own, produced four laws, which added more opt-out options from federal COVID rules and banned all government and school COVID-related mandates, with stiff fines for violations.
Are vaccine mandates banned in Florida now? What happened in the Legislative Special Session
You May Like: How To Get Checked For Flu
Do We Know How Bad This Years Flu Season Will Be
We dont have a crystal ball, said Dr. Lisa L. Maragakis, the senior director of infection prevention at the Johns Hopkins Health System. But for hints of what to expect, scientists have been watching the Southern Hemisphere, where flu season is now wrapping up. And the good news is that the flu season has been relatively mild there, Dr. Maragakis said so ours might be, too.
Yet there are reasons to be worried as well. When you look across the years, more serious and more severe flu seasons often follow light ones, Dr. Maragakis said. Thats likely because of how the flu evolves and how susceptible people are to the strains circulating during the next season. Since weve had two light years in a row, we could be in for a bad year if the flu starts spreading, she said.
In a study published on a preprint server in August that has not yet been peer-reviewed, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh used mathematical modeling to predict how severe the upcoming flu season might be based on this increased susceptibility. They reported that if flu and flu vaccination levels are typical of prior years, 102,000 more Americans than average could be hospitalized with influenza a 20 percent increase.
Flu Vaccine For People With Long
The flu vaccine is offered free on the NHS to anyone with a serious long-term health condition, including:
- a learning disability
- problems with your spleen, for example, sickle cell disease, or if you have had your spleen removed
- a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or taking medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
Talk to your doctor if you have a long-term condition that is not in one of these groups. They should offer you the flu vaccine if they think you’re at risk of serious problems if you get flu.
Read Also: Type A Vs Type B Flu
Do The Covid Vaccines Work Against The Omicron Variant
Yes, but not as well, according to early studies. A study from Discovery Health, South Africa’s largest private health insurer, shows that two shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which provided over 90% protection against infection with the original version of the virus, is only 33% protective against any omicron infection.
That’s protection against catching it at all. Full vaccination still provides 70% protection against severe disease or death, the study showed, although it declined somewhat in people over 60 and more so for people over 70. it’s too soon to say for sure how well. A previous study suggested that booster shots and previous infection combined with vaccination were both effective.
COVID-19 vaccine developers Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson have all pledged to reformulate their shots to protect against omicron if needed, which may include an omicron-specific booster.
It is imperative that we are proactive as the virus evolves, Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna, said in a statement. The mutations in the omicron variant are concerning and for several days, we have been moving as fast as possible to execute our strategy to address this variant.
Fact check: 6 of the most persistent misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines
When To Postpone The Flu Shot
Having cold symptoms isn’t necessarily a reason to avoid getting your flu shot. But sometimes it’s better to put it off for a few days.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends waiting until you’re better if:
- You have a fever over 101 degrees Fahrenheit
- You’re very ill
Fever isn’t a frequent cold symptom in adults. It’s more common in children, though.
If you’re planning to get your child vaccinated and they seem sick, monitor their temperature. If they have a fever, the healthcare provider may decide it’s better to wait than to vaccinate right away.
The healthcare provider giving you the vaccine should ask you if you have a fever or are sick before giving it. If they don’t, be sure to speak up.
Recommended Reading: Drugs For Cold And Flu
When To Get The Flu Shot
Flu season typically runs from late fall to early spring.
Flu shots are now available for all Ontarians. You should get a flu shot as soon as possible because it takes two weeks to take effect.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization now recommends that COVID-19 vaccines may be given at the same time as the flu vaccine.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacy to learn more.
What Is The Cell
The production of influenza vaccines traditionally involves hens eggs. However, there is a different method for cell-based influenza vaccines such as Flucelvax Quad, the only cell-based flu vaccine approved for use in Australia. Its approved for use in people aged 9 years and older but has not been added to the National Immunisation Program schedule.
Studies show that cell-based vaccines have a similar efficacy and safety profile to standard flu vaccines. Normally, neither type is recommended over the other.
However, standard flu vaccines are preferred for use in pregnancy because a large body of evidence supports their safety for pregnant women. The safety of cell-based flu vaccines during pregnancy hasnt been assessed.
You May Like: Is Advil Multi Symptom Cold And Flu Non Drowsy