"Will the flu vaccine give me the flu?"

April 1, 2015

Image via iStock.

About 15 per cent of us get struck by the flu each year, and the flu (or influenza) vaccine is your best shot (sorry) at preventing it.

But what puts many people off is the belief that the flu vaccine can actually give you the flu.

A 2012 survey by US pharmacy CVS found that 35 per cent of people believed this to be true.

Fortunately, it’s not.

“The vaccine is made from influenza virus that has been grown, killed and purified,” Dr Alan Hampson, the chairman of the Influenza Specialist Group explained to Ninemsn.

The flu vaccine does not contain any live viruses. Image via iStock.

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“It’s then broken into little pieces, which fools the body into thinking it has been invaded. The body then makes antibodies to mop up the virus and stop it from causing nasty infection.”

Because the vaccine does not contain any live viruses, it cannot cause flu.

What a few people (around 20 to 25 per cent) DO experience is a few minor side effects that can be confused with flu-like symptoms.

These include a slight temperature, aching muscles and soreness around the injection area for up to a couple of days afterwards. They're perfectly normal reactions and are usually resolved within a few days with no treatment required.

Should you get it?

Certain groups of people are categorised in the “high risk” category, meaning catching the virus can be life threatening. These groups, including anyone aged 65 years or over, pregnant women and anyone with medical conditions like heart disease, severe asthma and diabetes, are eligible for a free vaccine via the federal government

While people outside of these groups are much less likely to die from influenza, that’s not to say it can’t knock you out for a few days.

Even if you're not in the high-risk group, the flu may still knock you out for a week. Image via iStock.

"While healthy people are unlikely to be hospitalised or die from influenza, they'll still probably have to take a week off work and feel really sick," Dr Hampson says.

Just because you have had the vaccine previously, does not mean you’re completely covered either.

Each year sees different strains of the flu emerge, so the vaccine is updated accordingly. For your best chance at protecting yourself from the flu (alongside eating healthy, exercising and good personal hygiene), it’s worth ensuring you get your shot at the start of each winter, whether you’re in the high-risk group or not.

A healthy diet is also important in protecting your body against the flu. Luckily that doesn't mean having to give up all your favourite foods (thanks science!).

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BreadKATIE THOMSITT, Dieticians Australia spokesperson says: "Lots of people shy away from bread to achieve weight loss. But bread is such an important source of fibre, and plays such a helpful role in weight loss and preventing bowel cancer. A couple of slices of a dark, seedy bread per day is absolutely fine."

CheeseKATIE SAYS: "Cheese is definitely a higher fat source of dairy, but still a good dairy fat. Choose low-fat options if you have it regularly, otherwise consume it in moderation. One serve of dairy is 30g, so a couple of slices is absolutely fine."

ChocolateKARA LANDAU, The Travelling Dietician says: "Studies have been able to show that dark chocolate can improve insulin sensitivity, reduce blood pressure in healthy individuals, protect against heart disease, and improve HDL good cholesterol (not a bad start for such a tasty food!). Dark chocolate also contains polyphenols, whilst white chocolate does not. These polyphenolic compounds are able to relax blood vessels allowing for better blood circulation, and thereby assisting with the maintenance of healthy blood pressure levels."

CoffeeKATIE SAYS: "Coffee is a really good snack, in particular if its milk-based to get the dairy in - for example, a skim latte. As long as its in moderation - daily guidelines say a maximum of three per day! And you want lots of water on top of that."

EggsKARA SAYS: "Yes, even the yolks are good for you! Healthy fat soluble vitamins, as well as half the protein found in an egg, are all found in the yolk!"

Avocado KATIE SAYS: "Avocado is a healthy fat. Lots of people think its high-fat and not good for you, but its rich in mono unsaturated fats, which give you protection against heart disease. It also helps with controlling lower cholesterol levels."

nutsKATIE SAYS: "Nuts fall into the same category as avocado - they have lots of healthy oils and fibre."

dairyKARA SAYS: "Often milk and yoghurts are fortified with Vitamin D (a fat soluble vitamin) which requires a small amount of fat to be present in order for the body to absorb it, therefore having the full fat variety can be of value to enhance the nutritional benefits from the products' consumption. The fat in the dairy also aids with satiety, which could prevent unhealthy snacking at a later point in the day."

PotatoKATIE SAYS: "Potato always gets a bad rap as a starchy vegetable, but it's an excellent source of fibre. Sweet potato in particular is great for weight management and sugar level control. Potatoes are also really rich in potassium."

Red meatKARA SAYS: People tend to restrict red meat unnecessarily, thinking that its high in saturated fat. "But lean red meat is high in protein, CLA (which has been found to be associated with lower body fat percentages), B12, iron and zinc. These are all nutrients we want to get into our body!"

Got more questions? Read this for further information about this year's flu vaccine.

Do you get the flu vaccine each year? Have you ever suffered from any of the side effects?

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