People come up with all sorts of reasons for not getting a flu shot. Most of these reasons are based on myths, as shown below. It’s important to remember that your decision about whether to get vaccinated doesn’t only affect you. It can also impact your family, friends, co-workers, and others around you.
It’s not all about you. - The The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the flu shot for people, including school-age children, who want to reduce the likelihood of becoming ill with influenza or transmitting it to others should they become infected.
- Vaccination is also recommended for the following higher-risk groups:
- Adults 50 years or older
- All children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years*
- People with certain chronic medical conditions
- All women who will be pregnant during flu season, given no contraindications
- Healthcare workers involved in direct patient care
- Out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children younger than 6 months and of adults 65 years or older
- Residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities
- Children aged 6 months* to 18 years on chronic aspirin therapy
* Influenza vaccines are not currently approved for children under 6 months of age.
Influenza can have serious results. - Influenza is a contagious disease of the respiratory tract (nose, throat, and lungs) that can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia and the worsening of chronic conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes.
- Its symptoms, which can disrupt your work and social plans for up to two weeks, can include fever, headaches, extreme tiredness, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, and body aches.
- Each year in the U.S. more than 200,000 people are hospitalized and 36,000 die from the influenza and its complications.
Influenza strains change each year. - Even if you were immune to influenza strains circulating in the past, you may not be immune to new strains that emerge this season.
- The best way to help protect yourself from new influenza strains is to get vaccinated each fall.
Flu shots can’t give you the flu. Injectable influenza vaccines are made from influenza viruses that have been killed, and a killed virus cannot give you the flu.
You can still protect yourself after autumn. Although October through December are the recommended months for vaccination, since that’s when viruses begin to circulate, a flu shot later in the winter season (January through March) can still help protect you and your loved ones from the flu.
Influenza vaccines are safe for most people. - However, the influenza vaccine is not appropriate for those who have had a severe allergic reaction to eggs or to a previous flu vaccination.
- Vaccination may not be appropriate if you have a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome.
- Talk to your healthcare professional if you have any questions or concerns.
- Questions & Answers: The Disease. Available at: www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/ disease.htm. Accessed May 2007.
- Influenza: The Disease. Available at: www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease.htm.
- Questions & Answers: Flu Vaccine. Available at: www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/fluvaccine.htm. Accessed May 2007.
- Key Facts about Influenza and the Influenza Vaccine. Available at: www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm. Accessed May 2007.
- 2007 ACIP Recommendations for Influenza Vaccine. Presented at: National Influenza Vaccine Summit. April 19, 2007.
- Prevention and Control of Influenza. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Available at www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr55e628a1.htm. Accessed May 2007.
- Questions & Answers: Flu Shot. Available at: www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/flushot.htm. Accessed May 2007.
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