6 Common Flu Myths Debunked

Flu season is upon us again. And, again, we divide ourselves into two distinct crowds: Those of us who get our flu shot and those of us who do not. Interestingly, over the years, I’ve noticed very little movement between these groups. Peer pressure I suppose.

Whenever the wheezing and sneezing starts in my workplace, I always wonder which co-workers are the “shots” vs. the “nots.” Then, I always wonder which group I should be in. Do I decrease my chances of catching this dreaded bug through vaccination? Is vaccination a waste of time - or worse, does it somehow increase my chances of getting infected?

Like you, I’ve heard all the angles and what I believed largely determined whether or not I have been rolling up my sleeve. Having recently recovered from a particularly nasty bug, however, I decided to finally get the facts. I did, and next year I will be rolling up my sleeve. I am officially crossing party lines into the “shot” camp.

I posted my findings here to help you educate your workforce. From a management perspective it makes sense to explore this public health issue. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) less than 33% of your team received flu vaccinations last season.

Are the majority of your employees needlessly exposing themselves to the ills of daytime television instead of working or are a third of them subjecting themselves to a painful exercise in futility? You decide.

From the CDC:

Myth 1: “The flu isn’t a serious disease.”

Facts: Influenza (flu) is a serious disease of the nose, throat, and lungs, and it can lead to pneumonia. Each year about 200,000 people in the U.S. are hospitalized and about 36,000 people die because of the flu. Most who die are 65 years or older. But small children less than 2 years old are as likely as those over 65 to have to go to the hospital because of the flu.

Myth 2: “The flu shot can cause the flu.”

Facts: The flu shot cannot cause the flu. Some people get a little soreness or redness where they get the shot. It goes away in a day or two. Serious problems from the flu shot are very rare.

Myth 3: “The flu shot does not work.”

Facts: Most of the time the flu shot will prevent the flu. In scientific studies, the effectiveness of the flu shot has ranged from 70% to 90% when there is a good match between circulating viruses and those in the vaccine. Getting the vaccine is your best protection against this disease.

Myth 4: “The side effects are worse than the flu.”

Facts: The worse side effect you’re likely to get from a shot is a sore arm. The nasal mist flu vaccine might cause nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat and cough. The risk of a severe allergic reaction is less than 1 in 4 million.

Myth 5: “Only older people need a flu vaccine.”

Facts: Adults and children with conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease need to get a flu shot. Doctors also recommend children 6 months and older get a flu shot every year until their 5^th birthday.

Myth 6: “You must get the flu vaccine before December.”

Facts: Flu vaccine can be given before or during the flu season. The best time to get vaccinated is October or November. But you can get vaccinated in December or later.