The annual seasonal flu vaccination campaign has begun, but how good is your knowledge of the flu and the flu shot?
In the United States, the flu virus is hitting earlier and harder than in years past, with the most hospitalizations in a decade. Australia also had a severe flu epidemic from April to October this year, especially among children between the ages of 5 and 9. High-risk groups in our country are therefore better vaccinated, experts say. But first we would like to dispel some of the myths surrounding the flu.
Myth 1: The flu shot gives you the flu
Thanks to corona vaccines, most of us have some experience with vaccination against respiratory viruses. For some, these are occasionally accompanied by side effects such as headache, fever, body aches, and a general feeling of weakness. This “flu syndrome” is not corona or flu. After all, the flu vaccine contains an inactivated, non-live flu virus. So the vaccine can’t give you the flu. Symptoms of the disease are a signal that your immune system is getting to work. However, such side effects are rare with the flu shot. Sometimes there is some swelling or mild pain at the vaccination site. Even rarer with the flu shot are complications due to an incorrect response from the immune system. With flu vaccination, for example, there is an extremely minimal risk of, for example, Guillain-Barré syndrome, sudden temporary paralysis, but the chance of this condition occurring is greater if you actually catch the flu. The flu shot also has advantages. Protects against strokes and heart attacks.
Myth 2: If you’ve ever had the flu, you don’t need a vaccination
The immunity you acquire at a young age against certain strains of the flu can last for years. The problem is that influenza viruses are evolutionarily very young (just a few thousand years old). Their adolescent nature causes them to change shape year after year and mislead our immunological memory and our stronghold of defense. Our memory cells from last year’s flu, for example, will no longer recognize this year’s mutated flu viruses. An annual dose of influenza vaccine is therefore indicated.
Myth 3: Getting the flu after a flu shot is impossible
Vaccines are not sanctifying. The flu vaccine only protects you 40 to 70 percent against the flu, depending on your immune system and the strain of flu in circulation. For example, people who received a flu shot in the 2017-2018 flu season were only 36% less likely to get the flu than those who had not been vaccinated. This too has to do with the fickle nature of the flu. Every February, health authorities meet to determine the ingredients for the next flu shot. For the upcoming flu season, the vaccines contain a cocktail of antigens against four flu strains. We are never quite sure that another devastating strain of the flu won’t come to the fore this year. That is why it is best to observe the well-known ‘golden rules’: stay at home in case of illness, wash your hands properly and regularly and wear a mask in crowded places where physical distance is difficult. If you come with the flu, a mutated strain of the flu could be responsible, but the vaccine will still protect you from serious symptoms and complications. Or you just caught another respiratory virus. Many viruses cause the same symptoms as flu.
Myth 4: November is too late for the flu shot
December to March are the best months for the flu. The Superior Health Council (SHC) recommends vaccination from mid-October. As long as the number of infections has not yet peaked, vaccination will remain useful. After the flu shot, it takes two weeks to be optimally protected. The effect of the vaccine lasts for about six months. In older people, the protection disappears a little faster. And what about your covid or pneumococcal stroke? According to the SHC, simultaneous or rapid succession vaccinations are perfectly safe and effective.
Myth 5: the flu shot is expensive
The flu vaccine is widely reimbursed for people belonging to a risk group. Regular policyholders pay around 4 euros per vaccine, those who have an increased allowance of 2.5 euros. Most health insurance funds also provide (extra) allowance for multiple ages and / or risk groups for the expenses incurred for the purchase of vaccines. Request a special certificate from your pharmacy for this. The vaccine is free for people staying in a subsidized care institution in Flanders. From 2022 onwards, they will receive a vaccine with four times the dose of antigens than standard-dose vaccines. Without a health insurance contribution, you pay around 16 euros for a flu shot. Some companies offer the vaccine to their staff free of charge to avoid excessive absenteeism rates.
Myth 6: Getting the flu shot is cumbersome
Since last year, the government has made it even easier for you to get the flu shot. You can pick it up at the pharmacy without a prescription and then have it fitted by your family doctor or nurse. Store the vaccine in the refrigerator.
Myth 7: Influenza is a harmless condition
The flu does more damage than you think. It can lead to serious complications, increasing the risk of heart attack or pneumonia. There is also a risk of further health problems. For example, the flu virus can lead to Guillain-Barré syndrome. It is recommended that patients at risk, such as people over the age of 65, pregnant women, people with obesity, and people with a chronic underlying condition, be vaccinated. Vaccination of at-risk groups also protects other people in society, such as infants and young children. For young, healthy adults, the flu poses less of a threat.
Myth 8: You can’t die from the flu
In Belgium, the number of deaths from influenza varies from a few 100 to a few 1000 people, depending on the severity of the epidemic. More than 90 per cent of deaths involve people aged 65 or over. In addition, 1 in 1000 flu patients develop complications that require hospitalization.
Myth 9: the flu was overcome by Covid-19
On average, 500,000 people in Belgium are affected by a flu syndrome each year, about 2-8% of the population. It is true that there has been hardly any influence in our regions in the last few years of the coronavirus due to health measures. However, the Sciensano Health Institute predicts that the flu virus will circulate strongly this winter and that many people will be susceptible to the virus because exposure has been relatively low for the past two years, especially among children. The data on influenza activity in the Southern Hemisphere is like a canary in the coal mine and those data are not reassuring. There, the flu season started earlier and was more virulent.
Myth 10: you can cure the flu
Unfortunately. Being sick is the only cure. You should have recovered after a week. You can ease the symptoms a little, but there are also some misconceptions about this. For example, extra vitamin C doesn’t help you heal faster. Pain relievers like acetaminophen can relieve some of the discomfort, as can rest. A tea that has not been tried but can do no harm is to drink green or black tea because it contains catechins that can prevent the multiplication of flu and cold viruses. What certainly doesn’t help are antibiotics. The flu is caused by a virus, not a bacterium. Although there is an antiviral against influenza, namely oseltamivir (Tamiflu), its effectiveness is not sufficiently proven.
