Misconceptions About Flu Vaccines
Can a flu vaccine give you flu?
No, flu vaccines cannot cause flu illness. Flu vaccines given with a needle are made with either inactivated viruses, or with only a single protein from the flu virus. The nasal spray vaccine contains live viruses that are attenuated so that they will not cause illness.
Are any of the available flu vaccines recommended over the others?
For the 2021-2022 flu season, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends annual influenza vaccination for everyone 6 months and older with any licensed, influenza vaccine that is appropriate for the recipients age and health status, including inactivated influenza vaccine , recombinant influenza vaccine , or live attenuated nasal spray influenza vaccine with no preference expressed for any one vaccine over another.
There are many vaccine options to choose from, but the most important thing is for all people 6 months and older to get a flu vaccine every year. If you have questions about which vaccine is best for you, talk to your doctor or other health care professional.
Is it better to get sick with flu than to get a flu vaccine?
Do I really need a flu vaccine every year?
Why do some people not feel well after getting a seasonal flu vaccine?
- Carolyn Bridges et al. . Effectiveness and cost-benefit of influenza vaccination of healthy working adults: A randomized controlled trialexternal icon.
What about serious reactions to flu vaccine?
Can vaccinating someone twice provide added immunity?
Who Should Get The Flu Vaccine
According to the CDC, getting an annual flu vaccine is the first and best way to protect against the flu. The CDC recommends the annual vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older to protect against flu viruses. While children less than 6 months of age are too young to be vaccinated, those who care for them should be vaccinated.
Does The Flu Shot Have Any Side Effects
You might have a sore arm, muscle aches or a low-grade fever for a day or two after getting a shot. The vaccine cannot make you sick and for most people, side effects are very, very minimal, Sampathkumar said. You feel the needle going in, you may have a little bit of local tenderness at the site, but thats about it.
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When Should I Get Vaccinated
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You should get a flu vaccine before flu viruses begins spreading in your community, since it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against flu. Make plans to get vaccinated early in fall, before flu season begins. CDC recommends that people get a flu vaccine by the end of October. However, getting vaccinated early is likely to be associated with reduced protection against flu infection later in the flu season, particularly among older adults. Vaccination should continue to be offered throughout the flu season, even into January or later. Children who need two doses of vaccine to be protected should start the vaccination process sooner, because the two doses must be given at least four weeks apart.
Should I Talk To My Doctor Before I Get A Flu Shot
Some people should make sure itâs OK to get vaccinated. Ask your doctor or pharmacist first if:
- Youâve had a life-threatening allergic reaction to a flu shot in the past.
- Youâve had Guillain-Barre syndrome that happened after you got the flu vaccine. Thatâs a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the nervous system.
- Youâre very ill. If you have a mild illness, it’s OK to get vaccinated. Otherwise, talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.
Show Sources
CDC: “Estimating Seasonal Influenza-Associated Deaths in the United States: CDC Study Confirms Variability of Flu,” âKey Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine.â
Flu.gov.
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Can You Get Your Covid Booster If You Have A Cold
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Another COVID winter is creeping closer, and with it, so does cold and flu season. But unlike last year when a majority of social-distancing protocols and closures were still in place people are vaxxed, socializing, and gathering indoors.
That means, in addition to potentially spreading COVID, good ol’cold and flu germs can spread like wildfire, too. While it feels unfair, you can totally still get sick with a run-of-the-mill cold during this ongoing global pandemic.
And if you’ve been feeling sniffly or under the weather and are due for your COVID booster shot, which was recently approved for all U.S. adults you might be wondering whether it’s a good idea to get a booster if you have a cold or if you should wait until you’re feeling better. So, can you get your COVID booster with a cold, or should you hold off? Here’s the official recommendation.
/6could There Be Risk Factors
It’s also commonly believed that getting the vaccine when one is sick may render a vaccine shot ineffective, or make one feel sicker, because of the additional side-effects. However, that’s never always the case. While some side-effects may make you feel a bit sicker, do keep in mind that the immune system is already busy fighting off the virus, and administering a vaccine shot helps the body prepare a better immune response, relatively helping with faster recovery.
Apart from the fact that an individual may need to be better prepared to deal with the side-effects of the vaccine, there are no other risk factors which may cause worry, or affect the vaccine’s efficacy.
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What Are The Possible Side Effects
Most people have no problems from the vaccine.
If you get the flu shot, you might have a mild fever and feel tired or achy afterward. Some people also have soreness, redness, or swelling where they got their shot. These problems arenât serious and donât last long.
Serious side effects are rare. If they do happen, it’s within a few minutes to a few hours after you get the shot. Call your doctor right away if you have trouble breathing, hives, feel weak or dizzy, or have a fast heartbeat afterward.
If you get the nasal spray, you might have side effects like a runny nose, headache, cough, and sore throat. These are milder and shorter than the flu.
Children Can Still Get Vaccines Even With A Fever Or Mild Illness
Because a mild illness does not affect how well the body responds to a vaccine, your child can still be vaccinated if he or she has:
- A low grade fever
- A cold, runny nose, or cough
- An ear infection
- Mild diarrhea
Doctors at leading health organizations, like the American Academy of Pediatricsexternal icon and the American Academy of Family Physiciansexternal icon, recommend that children with mild illnesses receive vaccinations on schedule.
There is no health benefit to waiting to vaccinate your child if he or she has a mild illness. Its important that children get their vaccines on time so theyre protected against serious diseases.
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Dispelling Misinformation About The Flu Vaccine Sickness Treatment And Recovery
If you’ve ever had the , you know how sick you can be. Chances are good that some of the advice friends and family gave you about avoiding or dealing with the flu was wrong. There seems to be no shortage of misinformation and bad advice when it comes to dealing with the flu and the flu shot.
Here are 10 common myths about the flu.
Can I Get The Flu Shot If Im Sick What If I Have A Fever
Were quickly heading into the heart of flu season here, Buckeyes in fact weve already seen a couple of cases so its time to talk flu vaccine.
There are a few valid reasons to not get a flu vaccine:
- Youve had a severe allergic reaction to eggs in the past
- Youve had a bad reaction to a flu vaccine in the past
- Youve had something called Guillain-Barré Syndrome after receiving influenza vaccine in the past.
These are pretty rare conditions, but being sick this time of year sure isnt and we get asked all the time whether or not someone can get a flu shot if theyre sick. Or even worse people just assume they cant and we never see them! So lets set the record straight.
If youre sick with a cold or other mild illness and you dont have a fever, you can absolutely get your flu vaccine. If you have a fever , the general consensus has always been that you should hold off on getting the flu vaccine until it breaks. Why? Two reasons:
John A. Vaughn, MD
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When Can You Get Your Flu Shot
If you put off your flu vaccine because you werent at your healthiest, experts say you can pretty much reschedule as soon as you feel better. A reasonable guideline is when youve been fever-free for 24 hours, Dr. Murphy says. But it really comes down to judgment. When youre feeling good, just go for it.
First And Foremost Get A Covid Test
If you have any potential COVID-19 symptoms no matter how mild get tested. These include classic symptoms, like cough, fever and loss of taste and smell. But just a runny nose, headache or an upset stomach could be a sign that youre infected .
Many experts are predicting an increase in breakthrough cases because of the new omicron variant, which appears to be more transmissible and may be better at evading our current vaccines, so err on the side of caution and test. PCR testing remains the gold standard of COVID-19 testing, but rapid antigen tests are fast and pretty widely available at this point, and taking more than one might help boost accuracy.
If you do test positive for COVID-19, you should not get boosted until youve met the criteria to stop isolation. That is really more about others than about any concerns over what it might mean for you.
We dont have any evidence that getting the vaccine while youre incubating SARS-CoV-2 would be harmful, but we also dont have hundreds of cases to say that its fine, said Margaret Fisher, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and adviser to New Jerseys health commissioner. If someone has symptoms that might be COVID, I would test before they go to get vaccinated to protect the vaccination staff and to protect the people standing in line to also get their boosters. If you have COVID-19, we dont want you out walking around.
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Will I Have To Keep Getting The Flu Shot Every Year Forever
For now, yes. But in the future, maybe not.
The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota leads global public health collaboration for an initiative called the Influenza Vaccines Roadmap. Right now, we depend on vaccine technology developed in the 1940s, Osterholm said. We need to get a flu shot every year, for every new flu season. In the future, he hopes that can change with the development of a new vaccine that provides long-term, high quality protection against the flu.
How To Protect You And Your Family From The Flu
- Get the Flu Vaccine
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and throw the tissue in the trash after using it. If you do not have a tissue, cover your coughs and sneezes with the inside of your elbow, not your bare hands.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- If you are sick with flu-like illness, it is recommended that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities.
- While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
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How Does The Flu Virus Spread Are There Any High
All the things that increase your risk of getting COVID also increase your risk of getting influenza, so being unmasked in a crowded place is probably the most risky activity, said Sampathkumar. Crowded, enclosed spaces like airports come with higher infection transmission risk, she said, so travelers should wear masks and get their flu shots.
COVID is still pretty rampant around the country. So, wear a mask, avoid touching your mask with your hands, and carry hand sanitizer with you, so you can keep your hands clean when you’re traveling, Sampathkumar said.
She said the flu virus can live on surfaces, like doors or tabletops, for a couple of hours. Touching a surface and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth without using hand sanitizer in between can lead to an infection.
Vaccines Do Not Make A Mild Illness Worse
Vaccines only have a tiny fraction of the bacteria and viruses that children encounter naturally. Because of this, the immune system can handle getting vaccines and fighting minor illnesses at the same time.
Vaccines do not make symptoms of illness worse. Like any medication, vaccines may cause mild side effects, like a low fever or soreness or swelling where the shot was given. To help with discomfort from these side effects, put a cool, wet washcloth on the sore area or ask your childs doctor about using pain- or fever-reducing medicine. These side effects are very minor and soon go away.
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When Not To Wait
The CDC recommends the annual flu vaccine for everyone over the age of 6 months with a few exceptions.
If you’re not dealing with a moderate to severe illness, you should have no problem with the vaccine and should not hold off. A cough, congestion, headache, and sore throat won’t affect your body’s response to the flu shot.
The nasal spray flu vaccine may be a different story. If you’re congested, you may need to wait until your sinuses clear up. Otherwise, you risk not getting the full benefit of the vaccine.
Covid: How Long Are People Infectious And How Do Isolation Rules Vary
The US has cut the self-isolation period to five days, while in England it is seven with negative tests
The US has announced it is cutting the recommended self-isolation time with Covid to five days. How long are people with Covid infectious for, and why do the rules vary between countries?
What are the rules for self-isolation in the UK?
Since 22 December, people in England who have tested positive for Covid have been allowed to cut their self-isolation from 10 days to seven if they have negative lateral flow tests on days six and day seven.
Fully vaccinated close contacts of someone who has tested positive do not need to self-isolate, but those who are not vaccinated have to isolate for 10 days.
In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the self-isolation period for those who test positive remains 10 days, although rules around close contacts vary between the nations.
How long is someone with Covid infectious for?
It has been clear for some time that people can be infectious from about two days before they develop symptoms.
Estimates for how long an infected person remains contagious vary, but as Harvard Medical School notes: By the 10th day after Covid symptoms begin, most people will no longer be contagious, as long as their symptoms have continued to improve and their fever has resolved.
How do the UKs rules compare with those of other countries?
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If Your Cold Symptoms Are Mild You Should Be Able To Get Your Shot
We simply dont have much research analyzing outcomes among people who have a cold or another mild illness and get their initial COVID-19 vaccine doses or a booster. There is, however, clear precedent from other types of vaccines particularly childhood vaccines saying its safe to get a shot if youre somewhat under the weather with an illness like a cold, an ear infection, a low-grade fever or mild diarrhea.
And experts like Fisher say its OK to extrapolate from what we know about other vaccines and apply it to COVID-19 boosters.
We very strongly recommend that a mild illness not keep you from getting whatever vaccines youre scheduled to get, whether thats the flu shot or COVID-19 booster or whatever, she said.