The Pros and Cons of Getting A Flu Shot

By Amanda Maynes 

Around the same time every winter, the flu season comes around and people start talking about whether or not to get a flu shot. Many communities offer free flu vaccines as a preventative measure, and yet people are often hesitant to get one, but why? While many rumors abound about the possible side effects of getting a flu vaccine, the real scientific evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of the vaccine. In this article, we discuss the benefits of getting a flu shot as well as the side effects, both real and imagined.

What is the flu shot?

The flu shot is a vaccine against the influenza virus that causes the flu. Every year, a new vaccine is developed that is specifically targeted to protect against the flu types that researchers predict will be most prevalent that flu season. The vaccine contains remnant particles of individual viruses, and may also contain live attenuated (weakened) viruses. These foreign bodies cause the immune system in your body to produce antibodies, which strengthens your immunity against the flu. In recent years, a nasal spray has also been developed with a similar level of efficacy as the shot.

Benefits of a flu shot

The primary benefit of a flu shot is that it greatly reduces the possibility that you will contract the flu this season (by as much as 75%). Even individuals who receive the vaccine and eventually do contract the flu suffer milder symptoms of the disease than do those who have not received the vaccine. The vaccine becomes effective two weeks after administering the shot, and can provide protection for up to three years. Even people who received vaccines decades ago may experience increased immunity if the strain of influenza for a given year is similar to that used to produce the flu shot.
Preventing flu infections can be particularly important for certain groups of individuals. You should especially consider getting a flu shot every year if you belong to one of these groups:

• Children 1-18 years
• Adults older than 60 years of age
• Adults with chronic heart or lung conditions or diabetes

In addition, those working or living in conditions that would expose them to an unusually high risk of infection, such as schoolteachers, health care workers, and people living or working in nursing homes should also get vaccinated.

Possible side effects

While getting a flu shot is generally a good idea, there are certain side effects that may arise. These are mostly due to the body´s reaction to the virus particles in the vaccine, and include:

• Fatigue
• Muscle and joint pain
• Headache
• Runny nose
• Sore throat

While these symptoms are similar to the flu, they do not mean you have been infected, just that your immune system is reacting to the vaccine. The rate of infection from vaccines is almost 0%, and very few serious complications have been reported. However, you should discuss whether or not to get a flu vaccine with your doctor if you have ever suffered from one of the following conditions:

• Egg allergies. Chicken eggs are used to create the vaccine, and so this might produce an allergic reaction
• Guillan-Barre syndrome. This syndrome creates paralysis and other neurological symptoms following infections. While the flu vaccine does not cause Guillan-Barre, it might cause recurrence.
• If you are currently ill
• If you have suffered an adverse reaction to a flu shot in the past.

Amanda Maynes is an aspiring writer with a wealth of knowledge in the areas of health and fitness. She enjoys researching and writing about different topics with the aim of benefiting her readers.

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