1. Flu Vaccines Are Useless, Since They Don’t Fully Protect You From Getting the Flu
The flu shot works by prompting the body to produce antibodies to protect against the contagious illness. While it’s true that the flu shot may not perfectly protect against contracting all forms of the flu, it’s nonetheless an important tool.
Multiple strains of the influenza virus circulate each year, and each year those popular strains change. So vaccine developers base their formulas on their best predictions about the strains that will be dominant in the upcoming season.
“When it’s a perfect match, the shot works extremely well,” explains Megan Culler Freeman, MD, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics in the infectious disease division at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. “But even when it’s not a perfect match, there is usually some cross-protection, which means if you do get the flu, it won’t be nearly as severe.”
So, even if you do still get the flu after getting the vaccine, you’ll still experience a certain level of protection that could save you from being flattened for a week or longer, having to see a doctor, or, worse, being hospitalized. The targeted approach to specific strains of the flu also underscores why getting the jab each year is so important.
2. The Flu Shot Can Give You the Flu
“The flu shot is made from an inactive virus, so it’s impossible for it to give you the flu,” says David Brill, DO, a physician in the department of family medicine at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. “It is possible but not common to have a day of body aches or not feeling well after getting the shot, but that’s just your immune system doing what it’s supposed to be doing, and nothing compared to the actual flu.”
Safety from the flu isn’t immediate, however. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and for you to become protected. “It’s possible for someone to get the shot and then catch the flu before immunity kicks in,” notes Dr. Freeman. “But you would never get the flu because of the shot.”
3. Once Flu Season Starts, It’s Too Late to Get the Shot
The CDC recommends getting vaccinated by the end of October so that you have immunity by the time the influenza virus starts circulating in your community.
But if you don’t make that deadline, don’t stress — and certainly don’t give up on the whole idea. The flu is unpredictable and seasons can vary. “As long as flu viruses are circulating, it’s still worth getting a flu shot,” says Dr. Brill.
In March 2022, for example the CDC reported an unusual spring spike in flu cases across the United States and noted that unvaccinated people could still benefit from getting a flu shot.
4. It’s Healthier to Get the Flu and Let Your Immune System Do Its Job
Unfortunately, there’s nothing healthy about getting the flu. “People can have pretty severe and negative outcomes from getting natural flu,” says Freeman.
In addition to causing 7 to 10 days of full-on misery, influenza can lead to severe complications, such as pneumonia, inflammation of the heart or brain, and even death.
Furthermore, it’s key to understand that vaccines don’t weaken your immune system or prevent it from working the way it should, points out Brill. “Vaccines actually stimulate your immune system and get it to work in the direction you want, without [you actually] getting the actual illness,” he explains.
All factors considered, getting vaccinated is a much safer choice than getting sick.
5. Young, Healthy People Do Not Need to Worry About the Flu
While it’s true that the flu is most threatening to the very young, the elderly, and people with underlying illnesses or medical conditions, the illness can cause severe symptoms in people of any age.
Even healthy children and adults are at risk of hospitalization or severe complications from a bout of the flu, says Brill.
Also keep in mind that you’re not just getting the flu shot for yourself but also for everyone around you. As more people get vaccinated, it becomes less likely that influenza spreads. This concept is called “herd immunity.”
“You should get a flu shot for Grandma or the older person in line in front of you at the grocery store,” says Brill. You can’t pass along a virus if you never get it yourself.
The Takeaway
- The CDC recommends that most people older than 6 months get the flu shot each year to protect against the virus causing serious illness, requiring hospitalization, or even leading to death.
- Don’t let myths about the flu vaccine deter you from protecting yourself. For instance, the flu shot itself won’t give you the flu; generally healthy people don’t have natural protection; and as long as the flu is still circulating, it’s not too late to get the vaccine.
- Getting vaccinated doesn’t just protect you — it also contributes to herd immunity, which helps to protect vulnerable populations from severe illness.
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