Influenza myths
Myth #1: Flu is merely a nuisance.
Wrong. Flu is a major cause of illness and death in the United
States and leads to an average of about 20,000 deaths and 114,000
hospitalizations per year.
Myth #2: Flu shots cause the flu.
Wrong. The licensed flu vaccine used in the United States, which
is made from inactivated or killed flu viruses, cannot cause the
flu and does not cause flu illness.
Myth #3: Flu shots don’t work.
Not exactly. When the killed viruses in the vaccine and circulating
viruses are similar, the flu shot is very effective.
There are several reasons why people think flu shots don’t
work. People who have gotten a flu shot may then get sick from
a different virus that causes respiratory illness but is mistaken
for flu; the flu shot only prevents illness caused by the influenza
virus.
In addition, protection from the vaccine is not 100%. Studies
of healthy young adults have shown flu vaccine to be 70% to 90%
effective in preventing the flu. In the elderly and those with
certain long-term medical conditions, the flu shot is often less
effective in preventing illness. However, in the elderly, flu
vaccine is very effective in reducing hospitalizations and death
from flu-related causes.
Myth #4: There is no need to get a flu shot every year.
Wrong. The flu viruses are constantly changing. Generally, new
influenza virus strains circulate every flu season, so the vaccine
is changed each year.
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