Flu Season 3

Over the past few weeks, I've been talking about the flu and the vaccine. Here are some common questions that I've been asked. If I don't answer your question, please let me know or make an appointment to discuss further.

5) Does the flu vaccine cause the flu?
- NO, NO, NO
- This is a common misbelief. You can develop the flu after getting vaccinated if you've recently been exposed to the virus (you would've developed regardless of vaccination).
- The vaccine takes a few weeks for your body to develop immunity.
- After being vaccinated, you may experience a mild fever, muscle ache at the site of injection or malaise. This is your body developing immunity to the virus.

6) Are there any risks to being vaccinated? What about Guillian Barre?
- Systemic anaphylactic reacations the flu vaccine are rare. If you are allergic to eggs, you should discuss with your health care provider as above.

-Guillain-Barré syndrome, is a disease characterized by fever, nerve damage and ascending muscle weakness.
- There is controversy over wheter or not the flu vaccine is associated with developing GBS & normally, about one person per 100,000 people per year will develop GBS.an illness characterized by fever, nerve damage, and muscle weakness.
-In 1976, vaccination with the swine flu vaccine was associated with getting GBS.
-Several studies have been done to evaluate if other flu vaccines since 1976 were associated with GBS. Only one of the studies showed an association. That study suggested that one person out of 1 million vaccinated persons may be at risk of GBS associated with the vaccine. Thats compared to 1.6 out of 10,000 people dying from the flu.

Bottom line, it's safe to be vaccinated and it may save your life!