Friday Flu Shot: Myth Busted by MOMmunization
Sep 14, 2012
All I can say is thank you Alana!
Her recent blog post, entitled Myth Buster on the MOMmunizations blog, emphasizes the fact that the flu shot can not give you the flu. Not only does she explain why it is not possible, she describes some scenarios that may cause people to mistakenly believe it does. But please people. Do not be fooled.
If someone says they got the flu from the flu shot consider this:
- They may mistakenly think they are experiencing symptoms of the flu, when in fact that are sick with another ailment.
- They may have been exposed to a flu virus before getting vaccinated, or during the two-week period it takes the body to develop full immunity after the shot is administered.
- They may have contracted a strain of influenza that the vaccine does not offer protection from.
- They may not have developed immunity, despite the shot and were therefore still susceptible to flu in their environment. This may occur when a person is elderly or has a compromised immune system, as their response to the vaccine may not be as effective, but fortunately, their symptoms will most likely be less severe, with less chance of complications.
Alana goes into greater detail in her post, but I also recommend that you investigate the many informative flu pages of the CDC website, the Fact & Fiction section of the Families Fighting Flu site, and a detailed document provided by the Vaccine Education Center of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia here.
Each year people continue to spread misinformation about the flu vaccine and each year we must work to dispel it. If a friend or family member chooses not to be immunized due to their misunderstanding of how this vaccine works, please share the facts with them. Encourage them to do their part to stop the flu from circulating in our communities. It doesn’t take but a moment, but it can help save someone’s life.
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