AnswersDriveMYTH: You can catch the flu from the vaccine. The vaccine is made from an inactivated virus that can't transmit infection. So people who get sick after receiving a flu vaccination were going to get sick anyway. But people assume that because they got sick after getting the vaccine, the shot caused their illness.
Is it normal to get the flu after the flu shot?
Other reactions following the flu shot are usually mild and can include a low grade fever and aches. If these reactions occur, they usually begin soon after the shot and last 1-2 days. The most common reactions people have to flu vaccine are considerably less severe than the symptoms caused by actual flu illness.
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What are mild symptoms of the flu?
Common flu symptoms
- a fever.
- aches and pains throughout the body.
- headaches.
- chills.
- a sore throat.
- an extreme feeling of fatigue.
- a persistent and worsening cough.
- a stuffy or runny nose.
2
Can the flu vaccine give you the flu?
The flu vaccine is recommended as an injection only. The flu shot contains an inactivated vaccine made of killed virus. Because the viruses in this vaccine are killed (inactivated), the shot won't cause you to get the flu, but it will enable your body to develop the antibodies necessary to ward off influenza viruses.
3
Do flu shots weaken your immune system?
Getting a flu shot does not weaken your immune system and make you more likely to get the flu. Getting a flu vaccine prepares your immune system for the flu. A flu vaccine teaches your immune system to recognize that virus as a threat.
4
How long does it take to get the flu after being exposed?
How long does it take to develop symptoms of influenza after being exposed? The incubation period of influenza is usually two days but can range from one to four days. Typical influenza disease is characterized by abrupt onset of fever, aching muscles, sore throat, and non- productive cough.
5
Can you feel sick after a flu shot?
Bottom line: It's normal to feel soreness, redness, tenderness, or even develop a mild fever or body aches during the two days after you get vaccinated—that's just your immune response, not the flu illness itself. So there's no reason to avoid getting the flu shot because you think it'll make you sick.
6
Can you get the flu from a flu shot?
"It's a myth that you can get flu from the flu vaccine," Schaffner said. The viruses in the flu shot are killed, so people cannot get the flu from a flu vaccine. However, because temperatures in the nose are colder, the virus causes a small infection in the nose.
7
Can a person be a carrier of the flu virus?
That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. Some people can be infected with the flu virus but have no symptoms. During this time, those persons may still spread the virus to others.
8
Can you get the flu twice from the same strain?
A. You can't get exactly the same one, as your body will have developed antibodies to it. But “cold and flu viruses mutate, so there are subtly different forms of the virus,” says Caroline Rudnick, an assistant professor of community and family medicine at St. Louis University.
9
What are the side effects of the flu shot?
Common side effects from the flu shot include:
- Soreness, redness, and/or swelling from the shot.
- Headache.
- Fever.
- Nausea.
- Muscle aches.
10
Is it too late in the season to get a flu shot?
Flu season runs from October to May, with most cases happening from late December to early March. But the flu vaccine is usually offered from September until mid-November. Even as late as January, there are still a few months left in the flu season, so it's still a good idea to get protected.
11
How do you get the flu?
How Do You Catch a Cold or the Flu?
- Viruses spread through tiny droplets in the air that are released when a sick person sneezes, coughs, or blows their nose.
- You can get sick if you touch your nose, eyes, or mouth after you have touched something contaminated by the virus, such as a toy, countertop, or doorknob.
12
Can you get the flu again after you just had it?
You can certainly contract the flu more than once a year, because there are many different strains of the influenza virus. It is possible that you could get infected with one strain and then another during a given season, especially if you have a compromised immune system.
13
Can you get the flu twice in one month?
Unfortunately, no. Experts say it is possible to catch the flu twice in one season. The CDC recommends the flu vaccine for everyone ages 6 months and older. This flu season is turning out to be one of the worse since the 2009 "swine flu" epidemic, CDC officials said last week.
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Is it safe to get the flu shot?
Outlook for flu vaccines. The flu vaccine is considered safe. You can't catch the flu from the vaccine, because the virus in the vaccine has been killed or weakened. The live vaccine isn't recommended for people with a weaker-than-normal immune system.
15
How long does it take to feel sick after being exposed to the flu?
Symptoms of influenza usually appear 1-4 days after exposure. How long can a person spread influenza? Persons are most contagious during the 24 hours before symptoms appear and may be contagious for up to 5 -7 days after getting sick.
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Is the flu shot really effective?
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which conducts studies annually to gauge the vaccine's protective ability, has found immunization reduces the risk of flu illness by 40 percent to 60 percent during seasons when most circulating flu viruses are well-matched to the flu vaccine.
17
Is the flu shot a live virus?
The nasal spray flu vaccine does contain live viruses. However, the viruses are attenuated (weakened), and therefore cannot cause flu illness. The weakened viruses are cold-adapted, which means they are designed to only cause infection at the cooler temperatures found within the nose.
18
Is it possible to get the flu twice?
Unfortunately, no. Experts say it is possible to catch the flu twice in one season. But a smaller portion of people (around 10 to 15 percent) are getting the H1N1 strain or the influenza B virus, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
19
Can you get pneumonia from the flu shot?
For protection against pneumonia, more than one vaccine can help. If you need some added incentive, consider this: The influenza virus can cause not only the typical flu symptoms (like fever, muscle aches, and headache), but it can cause viral pneumonia in some people and nudge others to develop bacterial pneumonia.