Adalja, MD, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. We repeat: The flu shot can’t actually give you the flu, and while there are some possible side effects, most are rare, says infectious disease expert Amesh A. The vaccine is not effective immediately, so people who were exposed to influenza or another virus shortly before or after getting their shot may still get sick, completely unrelated to their vaccination.Īnother thing to note? Talk of the flu shot’s many side effects tend to be exaggerated. Hanak, so take into account any holiday plans or upcoming travel. The vaccine can take 14 days to take full effect, according to Dr. If you are thinking of getting a flu shot this year, plan accordingly. “This is why the flu shot is an incredibly important tool to keep ourselves and those around us safe,” says Dr. People who are vaccinated and get sick anyway tend to experience less severe symptoms as well as decrease their risk of hospitalization. Influenza is responsible for thousands of hospitalizations and hundreds of deaths each year, and while the flu vaccine does not protect 100 percent of people from actually contracting the flu, much like the COVID vaccine, it can prevent severe illness.Īnd side effects are transient and typically last one to two days after vaccination, says Sindhu Aderson, MD, the medical director of Northwestern Medicine Immediate Care. It's more important than ever to get vaccinated this year. Soma Mandal, MD, is an internist at Summit Medical Group in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. Adalja, MD, is an infectious disease physician and a senior scholar at Johns Hopkins University for Health Security. Sindhu Aderson, MD, is the medical director of Northwestern Medicine Immediate Care. Meet the experts: Michael Hanak, MD, is a board-certified family physician and associate professor in the department of family & preventive medicine at Rush Medical College. While it won’t give you the virus, many people experience mild flu-like symptoms after vaccination, which is a sign that your body is producing antibodies and generating an immune response. “The vaccine is made from inactivated viral particles, which do not cause illness." However, it is not possible to contract influenza from the vaccine, says Michael Hanak, MD, the associate chief medical officer for Population Health. There’s also the long-running myth that getting your flu shot will give you the flu. But the first thing to note is that the vaccine reduces the risk of life-threatening disease somewhere in the range of 40 to 60 percent, and as high as 75 percent among children, per the CDC. Still, it’s totally understandable to have concerns about the shot’s potential side effects. That means you do, in fact, need a flu shot every year. As a result, the flu vaccine is updated every year to protect against new flu virus strains that are expected to circulate and cause illnesses. But because the virus mutates, every flu season is different, meaning the health impact varies widely from year to year. ICYDK, flu viruses typically spread in early fall and winter, peaking between December and February, according to the FDA. If you’ve never had a flu shot before, or are just in need of a refresher, you’re probably looking for some insight on what to expect afterward. With flu season in full swing, it’s time to schedule your next vaccine appointment.
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