Flu shots don’t make you sick
Influenza season has yet to hit, but myths about the flu vaccine continue to spread.
The most common misconception about the vaccine is that it can make you sick, Hamilton pharmacist Shazeel Rauf said.
‘‘We visit a lot of workplaces to offer the flu vaccine and the biggest myth we encounter is this idea that you can catch the flu from the vaccine,’’ Rauf said.
‘‘Obviously it’s not true, because the vaccine doesn’t contain live strains of the virus and so we do a lot of work ensuring people are well-informed.’’
Other popular misconceptions include thinking you don’t need a jab every year and that fit and healthy people don’t get the flu.
Rauf said it is important people get a flu shot every year because the virus mutates.
The virus can affect anybody regardless of fitness levels or health.
‘‘If everyone had the right information about the flu vaccine, we’d most likely have a 100 per cent vaccination rate, but we don’t.
‘‘It’s a continual battle and we just have to keep educating people..’’
Northern Hemisphere countries have just suffered through a deadly flu season due to the prevalence of a life-threatening strain, A (H3N2).
The flu shot costs about $30. Pregnant women, people aged 65 and over, children aged four and under who have a history of respiratory illness, and people aged under 65 with certain medical conditions are eligible for a free jab from their GP.
Many workplaces also provide free jabs to staff.
This year’s flu vaccine has four strains of the virus, rather than the usual three. The vaccine covers influenza A (H3N2).
About one in four New Zealanders get the flu each year.
Waikato Medical Officer of Health Dr Richard Hoskins said the flu season had yet to start, with the virus usually taking hold in late autumn.
The flu season typically peaks from late July through to early September.
Hoskins recommended people got the flu shot early.
‘‘The thing is not to wait until the flu season has started. The vaccine takes one or two weeks to start and by then, you might have already met the flu by the time we know the flu season has started.’’
Hoskins said it was ‘‘technically impossible’’ for a person to catch influenza from the flu shot.
‘‘If anyone gets the vaccine and then gets the flu a few days later, then they’re incredibly unlucky. They would already have the flu brewing in them by the time they had the vaccine.’’
Hoskins said it was unclear why vaccination myths persist.
‘‘I’m not a psychologist, so I can’t begin to tell you why. There’s probably a group of people who like to think there’s some sort of conspiracy or that medical and health professionals are hiding something.’’
‘‘If everyone had the right information . . . we’d most likely have a 100 per cent vaccination rate, but we don’t.’’
Pharmacist Shazeel Rauf