Myth: The flu is not considered a serious illness.

Influenza is a contagious infection caused by a virus. Some of the symptoms of contracting influenza include a fever, headache, muscle pain, a runny nose, sore throat, and cough. Although, colds and various other viruses may cause similar symptoms, true influenza weakens a person much more than other viruses. The highest risk or concern from influenza is that it reduces the body's ability to fight other infections, especially in the elderly or people with a chronic disease. Bacterial pneumonia and viral pneumonia are two infections that may occur as a result of influenza. Influenza can also lead to more complications for those persons who have problems with their heart and lungs. These complications can sometimes be fatal. In an average year, the flu causes 36,000 deaths and more than 200,000 hospitalizations in the U.S.

Myth: If you never had the flu you don’t need to be immunized.

No one is totally immune from flu viruses. The main way that the influenza virus is spread is from person to person in respiratory droplets of coughs and sneezes. The viruses also can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets on another person or an object and then touches their own mouth or nose (or someone else’s mouth or nose) before washing their hands. The time from when a person is first exposed to the flu virus to when symptoms begin is about one to four days, with an average of about two days.

The period when an infected person is contagious depends on the age of the person. Adults may be contagious from one day prior to becoming sick and for three to seven days after they first develop symptoms. Some children may be contagious for longer than a week.

Most healthy people feel better in about five to seven days; however, general tiredness can last much longer.

Myth: You can get the flu from the vaccine.

The flu vaccine cannot give you influenza. The flu vaccine contains inactivated or dead influenza viruses that cannot cause influenza in any way. Although it is rare, a few people, especially those receiving the flu shot for the first time, may experience a mild fever, headache and flu-like signs. These reactions may start in 6 to12 hours after receiving the flu vaccine and can last up to 24 to 48 hours.

Myth: The flu vaccine doesn’t work because people still get the flu during flu season.

There are many different types of respiratory viruses around whose symptoms might seem like influenza, but it is not actually the flu. Influenza is very different and more severe than the common cold.

The flu shot contains three different strains of the flu virus that health experts predict is more likely to cause influenza in North America in the upcoming year. These are the only viruses the vaccine will protect against. Because these strains may change each year, a person needs to get the flu vaccine each year to be protected effectively against new strains. The vaccine prevents influenza in about seven out of ten healthy adults, if they are exposed to a strain of the virus that is close to the same strain contained in that year's vaccine. In the elderly and people with certain chronic health conditions, the vaccine may not work as well to prevent influenza. However, it will still reduce the risk of complications, hospitalization and even death.

Myth: If you are pregnant you shouldn’t get the flu shot.

Since the influenza vaccine is a dead vaccine, experts say a flu shot is safe during pregnancy. In fact, pregnant women with high-risk conditions, such as heart or lung disease, diabetes or immune suppression, are recommended to get influenza vaccination to protect themselves and their baby. In addition, women in the third trimester of pregnancy, and who may deliver their baby during the influenza season, are recommended to get the influenza vaccination to protect their newborn baby. If you have questions about receiving the influenza vaccination during your pregnancy, you should speak with your health care provider.

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