There's all sorts of misconceptions about the flu, so we're going to bust some of the common myths over the next week, starting with a popular one!
Myth 1: What if I catch the flu from the vaccine? 💉➡️🤧
At this time of year, there's lots of colds and flu going around. Some people who think they caught the flu from their vaccine will actually have contracted the flu in the day or two before they got the vaccine, when they weren't yet showing any symptoms (or they might have caught the flu in the week or so after the vaccine, since the vaccine takes around two weeks to work). It's just a coincidence that they got the flu around the same time they got the vaccine - they should blame the guy on the train that didn't stop coughing rather than the vaccine!
The flu vaccine is not a “live” vaccine, so you can’t get the flu from the vaccine. However, it is possible to have a mild reaction – you might feel like you have some minor cold symptoms, like a sore throat or runny nose for a couple of days. You might also have a sore arm for a day or two. While this is irritating, it's obviously better than getting actual influenza.
Myth 2: Maybe it’s too early to get a flu shot? Or too late? ⌚️📅💉
This year’s flu season is already in full swing, with 5,745 known cases so far in Victoria alone (mid-April 2019), which is more than three times the number of cases at the same time last year. Flu is believed to have caused 15 deaths in Victoria so far this year, including at least two children.
It’s true that the flu vaccine has effectiveness for a limited time - it only remains effective for a few months, which is why you need to have another vaccine each year. This means you might not want to get vaccinated too early in the year, as its effectiveness may have worn off by the tail end of flu season.
However, with winter and flu season fast approaching, now is a perfect time to have the vaccine, especially since it takes about two weeks after having the vaccine for it to become effective.
All of our staff have already had their flu vaccine, or are getting it this week. You and your family should book yours in now!
On the other hand, if you’re reading this later in the year and think it might be too late to bother getting the flu shot, think again. Some years, the flu outbreak is worse in spring than in winter, so even if it’s August or September it’s still a good idea to get vaccinated.
Myth 3: I’ve had the flu before and it wasn’t really that bad, so maybe I shouldn’t bother with the vaccine? 😐🤷♀️
If you think this, then maybe you haven’t really ever have the “flu”, or at least not recently.
Many people talk about having the “flu” when they actually just have a bad case of the “common cold”. Many of the symptoms are similar, such as a coughing, sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, and headache, so it makes sense that people confuse the two.
However, if you do have an actual case of the flu, you tend to know about it because the symptoms are usually much more severe than those for a mere cold. In particular, a person with the flu will usually also suffer from fever and body aches.
This means a person suffering from the flu will likely be out of action for several days, and many people will struggle to get out of bed, let alone make it to work or school. It’s much less likely they’ll be able to take some cold and flu tablets and “soldier on” like people are generally able to do for a cold.
For people in a higher risk group (see Myth 5 below), a case of the flu may require hospitalisation, and may even be fatal. In 2017, 650 Victorians suffering from the flu were admitted to hospital, with 9% of these in intensive care. It is estimated that flu contributes to over 3,000 deaths in Australia each year.
Myth 4: I’m totally healthy, so I don’t think I need to get a flu vaccine… 💉
We recommend all of our patients over the age of 6 months get a flu vaccine every year. This especially applies to in a high-risk group who qualify for a free vaccine (see Myth 5 below). There are only a few exceptions - if you think they might apply to you, book an appointment and discuss with a GP.
For anyone not in a high-risk group, getting a flu vaccine is important for two reasons. Firstly, you’ll help prevent yourself from being knocked off your feet with something that’s much worse than a mere cold (see Myth 3 above), and it will mean you are helping to stop the spread of the flu. You’ll be helping to provide additional protection to the more vulnerable members of the community such as kids, the elderly and those with low immunity - many of whom might be members of your family, or your co-workers or friends. In particular, babies under 6 months are too young to get a flu shot, so they need the “herd immunity” provided by as many people in the community as possible getting vaccinated.
Myth 5: Isn’t the flu shot kind of expensive and not worth it? 💵💉
Actually, the flu vaccine is pretty cheap. Flu vaccines are free for the following Medicare card holders:
all children aged six months to less than five years;
all adults aged 65 years and over;
all people aged from six months with medical conditions predisposing them to severe influenza; for example, severe asthma, lung or heart disease, low immunity or diabetes;
pregnant women (during any stage of pregnancy); and
all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged from six months.
Flu vaccines are otherwise $20 with a valid Medicare card, or $45 without.
So all up, it’s a pretty small price to pay to reduce the chances of you and others from getting a definitely annoying and potentially life-threatening disease this year, and of you spreading the flu to others.
To book you flu shot, call 03 8506 9949 or book online here.