Get your flu shot. Be a hero.
The FACTS
The ACTS
Everyone needs a flu shot, every year. Get yours today!
Hero-busting some serious villain myths.
- You cannot get the flu from the flu vaccine – you can get the flu from someone else.
- The flu vaccine is made with inactivated virus; it is not infectious.
- You may have been infected with the flu before you got your flu shot or before the vaccine had the chance to take effect (it can take up to 2 weeks).
- Common reactions to the flu vaccine may include:
- Soreness, redness, or swelling at the injection site, which generally lasts 1-2 days
- Low-grade fever, headache, and muscle aches are also possible
- These reactions are less severe than the symptoms caused by the actual flu.
- Why take the risk? Up to 20% of Americans get the flu annually.
- It can take up to 2 weeks to recover, some people end up with complications, such as pneumonia, that can be life-threatening.
- Even healthy people can get sick enough from the flu where they have to miss school or work – some even end up hospitalized.
- Even if you get a mild case of the flu, you can pass it on to people you care about, especially those considered high risk like adults over the age of 65+ or those with underlying health conditions.
- If not for yourself, get a flu shot to help protect others.
- Vaccine effectiveness can vary – however, recent studies show that the flu vaccine reduces the risk of the flu by about 50 to 60%
- Even when there’s not a good viral strain match, the vaccine can still help offer some protection.
- Vaccination may result in a milder case of the flu and help prevent serious complications.