IT IS a good idea to educate yourself, colleagues, family and friends about influenza.
Myths about flu and vaccinations against flu abound, and it is important to know the truth about something which cuts into people’s lives every winter.
According to www.hrfuture.net, it is a myth that flu is no more than a nuisance, much like the common cold that cannot be prevented. The fact is that flue is a severe, debilitating and sometimes life-threatening disease that causes deaths and hospitalisations every year. You can avoid getting flu by being vaccinated each year.
The myth that you can get flu from the injectable flu vaccination is just that: a myth.
The injectable flu vaccine does not contain any of the live virus so it is impossible to get flu from the vaccine. Some people may feel side effects such as mild soreness, redness, swelling at the injection site, headaches or a low-grade fever. However, vaccination is still the most effective way to protect you against flu and its complications.
It is also not true that it is not necessary to get immunised against flu every year because protection lasts from previous years’ vaccinations. The types of flu viruses circulating in the community change from year to year. Because of this, a new vaccine is made each year to protect people against the current strains. And, immunity to flu viruses only lasts for a year, so it is important to get revaccinated against flu every year.
It is a myth that people should not get immunised against flu if they are sick. Only those individuals suffering from severe allergies to eggs or those who have had previous vaccine-associated allergic reactions should avoid immunisation.
How often have you heard someone say: “I missed the chance to get a flu vaccination before the winter season set in. Now I will have to wait till next year”? This is also a myth.
It is never too late to get vaccinated. The best time to get vaccinated is before the flu season (between March and May), but vaccination during the flu season is still beneficial and will provide protection against the flu virus which circulates well into the winter months.
