Flu shot can i still get flu

I think we can all agree keeping ourselves — and our community — healthy during the long flu season should be a top priority. And getting your flu shot is the best way to make that happen. Fact: The flu shot does not contain an active virus. But for some, the flu shot does come with mild side effects that can easily be mistaken for early flu-like symptoms. The most common include mild soreness, tenderness or a bit of swelling at the injection site.

You may also run a small fever, or experience slight headaches or muscle aches. On the other hand, many experience no side effects at all! Flu symptom onset is fast and often involves fever, chills, extreme fatigue, muscle aches and more for several days. The mild symptoms you might experience after getting vaccinated are an immune response, not the signs of an illness. This antibody creation is what can spur side effects, as well as get your body ready for a possible exposure to an active virus.

Fact: There are a lot of influenza viruses out there. The availability of the flu vaccine depends on when production is completed. But generally, shipments begin sometime in August in the United States. Doctors and nurses may begin vaccinating people as soon as the flu vaccine is available in their areas. It takes up to two weeks to build immunity after a flu shot, but you can benefit from the vaccine even if you don't get it until after the flu season starts.

It's usually best for people in the United States to get their flu vaccine in September and October, and aim to get it by the end of October.

However, you can still protect yourself against late flu outbreaks if you get the vaccine in February or later. Because flu viruses evolve so quickly, last year's vaccine may not protect you from this year's viruses. New flu vaccines are released every year to keep up with rapidly adapting flu viruses. When you get vaccinated, your immune system produces antibodies to protect you from the viruses included in the vaccine. But antibody levels may decline over time — another reason to get a flu shot every year.

The CDC recommends annual influenza vaccinations for everyone age 6 months or older. Vaccination is especially important for people at high risk of influenza complications, including:. Children between 6 months and 8 years may need two doses of the flu vaccine, given at least four weeks apart, the first time they are given a flu vaccine. After that, they can receive single annual doses of the flu vaccine. A study showed that the vaccine significantly reduces a child's risk of dying of the flu.

Check with your child's doctor. Chronic medical conditions also can increase your risk of influenza complications. Examples include:. Anyone with a chronic medical condition should get the flu vaccine. Also, people living in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities should get the flu vaccine.

There are other groups advised to be cautious about the use of a nasal spray flu vaccine, such as people with certain chronic medical conditions. Check with your doctor to see if you need to be cautious about getting a nasal spray flu vaccine. The flu vaccine can also be delivered by an injection that's usually given in a muscle in the arm. If you're an adult under 65, you may also choose an in-the-skin intradermal vaccine, or you may prefer to have your vaccine delivered using a jet injector device, which uses a high-pressure, narrow stream of fluid to penetrate the skin instead of a needle.

The flu vaccine can't give you the flu. But you might develop flu-like symptoms — despite getting a flu vaccine — for a variety of reasons, including:. Seasonal flu disease usually peaks between December and March most years, but disease can occur as late as May.

With rare exception, CDC recommends an annual flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older, including pregnant women and people with medical conditions.

A variety of flu vaccine products are available Table 1. Vaccine providers should be aware of the approved age indications of the vaccine they are using and of any contraindications or precautions.

Providers also should appropriately screen all people getting vaccinated for allergies to vaccine components or other contraindications. People who have previously had a severe allergic reaction to influenza vaccine or any of its ingredients should generally not be vaccinated. There are some people who should not get a flu vaccine without first speaking with their doctor.

These include:. Pregnant women or people with pre-existing medical conditions who get vaccinated should get a flu shot. For a complete list of people who should not get a flu vaccine before speaking with their doctor, please review the influenza Vaccine Information Statement for the inactivated or recombinant flu vaccine or live, intranasal influenza vaccine. These symptoms can be caused by many different viruses, bacteria or even parasites.

Flu is a respiratory disease and not a stomach or intestinal disease. To receive weekly email updates about Seasonal Flu, enter your email address:. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Influenza Flu. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Misconceptions about Seasonal Flu and Flu Vaccines. Minus Related Pages. On This Page. Flu vaccination can keep you from getting sick with flu. For example, during flu vaccination prevented an estimated 7.

During seasons when flu vaccine viruses are similar to circulating flu viruses, flu vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of having to go to the doctor with flu by 40 percent to 60 percent.

Flu vaccination has been shown in several studies to reduce severity of illness in people who get vaccinated but still get sick. A study external icon showed that among adults hospitalized with flu, vaccinated patients were 59 percent less likely to be admitted to the ICU than those who had not been vaccinated.

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Circulating Strain. Immune Response. Common Side Effects of the Flu Shot. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up.