What's in a flu shot? Flu shot side effects and more
You wake up but can't get out of bed. You have a high fever, a severe headache, sudden chills, a cough, aches and pains all over your body -- even your eyes are sore. You have the flu. Could you have avoided this by rolling up your sleeve and getting a flu shot?
As winter approaches, so do those influenza strains -- and they can be deadly. 500 to 1,500 Canadians (usually the elderly and people with weak immune systems) will die annually from complications due to influenza infection.
So what's the best defence? A simple vaccination: The flu shot.
Because flu strains change from one year to the next, annual immunization is key. The vaccine is created with dead viruses of the strains the World Health Organization considers the most virulent for that season. And no, you can't get the flu from the shot.
Flu shot side effects
"Any drug, any vaccine, any medical product can have side effects," says Dr. Ian Gemmill, chair of the Canadian Coalition for Influenza Immunization. "You may have a day or two of mild fever and you get some local pain because you just had a needle stuck in your arm, but to get the severe symptoms of the flu, it's impossible."
Who should get the flu shot?
Everyone six months and older should be immunized, but those in most need include people over age 65, anyone with chronic medical conditions (heart disease, lung disease) or at high risk of complications (people with diabetes or asthma), and anyone in close proximity to these groups, including health-care workers, nursing-home residents and family members.
The flu shot is safe for women who are pregnant or nursing. Some U.S. studies have even found that vaccination may reduce complications during pregnancy, says Dr. Gemmill.
Page 1 of 2: Who should not get the flu shot? When to get the flu shot and what to do if you have the flu
