Health Insight
Clear up common influenza myths and learn how vaccination helps protect families and communities from serious seasonal illness.
Flu is more than a bad cold
Influenza is often dismissed as an unpleasant but routine winter illness. Although some people recover within about a week, flu can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, ear or sinus infections, and worsening of chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease. Young children, older adults, pregnant people, and those living with chronic health conditions face a higher risk of severe illness. In Canada, influenza and pneumonia continue to contribute to significant illness and deaths each year.
Myth: The flu shot does not work
No vaccine prevents every infection, but that does not mean influenza vaccination is ineffective. If a vaccinated person still catches the flu, they are less likely to become severely ill or require hospitalization. Research in children has found a substantially lower risk of life-threatening influenza among those who were vaccinated. Because the strains circulating each season can change, annual vaccination gives the immune system an updated opportunity to recognize and fight the viruses expected to be most common.
Myth: The vaccine causes flu or serious reactions
The injected flu vaccine uses inactivated virus and cannot give someone influenza. Common reactions (such as soreness or redness at the injection site, fatigue, headache, mild fever, nausea, or muscle aches) are generally short-lived signs of the immune response. Serious side effects are extremely rare. A person who becomes ill shortly after vaccination may have been exposed before the vaccine had time to provide its full protection, or may have caught a different respiratory infection with similar symptoms.
Vaccination helps protect families
Flu vaccination is recommended during pregnancy and is considered safe while breastfeeding. Pregnancy can increase the risk of serious influenza complications, while maternal vaccination also helps protect the baby during the first months of life. The flu vaccine does not protect against COVID-19 because the illnesses are caused by different viruses; however, eligible people can generally receive both vaccines during the same appointment, in different arms. Staying current with recommended vaccines, washing hands, improving indoor ventilation, and staying home when sick all help reduce the spread of respiratory illness. These practical steps are especially valuable when schools, workplaces, and holiday gatherings bring many people indoors. Ask a health-care professional which vaccines are appropriate for you and your family.
Visit Vaccines411.ca to learn more and find a vaccinating clinic near you.
