Depending on who you talk to, getting a flu shot can either help you get through flu season virtually unscathed, or it’s exposing your body to harmful viruses.
The bottom line is that you have to decide.
For a fighting chance against the flu, doctors recommend you get an annual flu shot. Flu shot side effects are usually minor and generally shouldn’t be a concern.
Aside from those with allergies to the flu vaccine, anyone over the age of six months can receive it. Because it takes two weeks for the flu vaccine to take effect, it’s best to get your flu shot early in the season, but it’s never too late to ask for one.
While many people are scared that one of the flu shot vaccine side effects is to get a bout of the flu, the truth is that the flu shot will NOT give you the flu. The flu virus in that needle going into your arm is dead, making it impossible for you to catch the flu by getting a flu shot or getting near someone who just had a flu shot vaccine.
You may experience some side effects such as:
• a low grade fever for eight to 24 hours after you receive the shot.
• a swollen, red, tender area around the vaccination spot.
• you may develop slight chills or a headache within 24 hours. Symptoms should go away within a day or so.
One rare reaction to the vaccine is the Guillain-Barr Syndrome, a severe paralytic illness that was particularly prevalent during the Swine flu vaccinations in 1976.
If you are allergic to eggs, consult your doctor before getting a flu shot. The flu vaccine is made using eggs. As a result, the vaccine has tiny amounts of egg protein in it. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that if you’re allergic to eggs you can’t get a flu shot. Discuss your options with your doctor.
