Myth: The flu shot will give me the flu.
Fact: You can’t get the flu from a flu shot.  The flu shot does not contain live flu virus, so it can't cause the flu. When people experience symptoms after getting the flu shot, they may have a cold or may have been exposed to the flu before they were vaccinated. It takes about 2 weeks before the flu shot is fully effective.

Nasal spray flu vaccine also does not cause the flu. It is made from a weakened live virus has been specifically designed not to cause the flu..

Myth: One flu shot will protect me against both seasonal flu and H1N1.
Fact: The seasonal flu shot will not protect you from the specific virus that causes H1N1 influenza. Read more about the H1N1 virus and how to protect yourself here.

Myth: The flu shot is just for kids and old people.
Fact: The flu shot is for kids, the elderly and anyone else who wants to reduce the chance of getting the flu, including people who are healthy, childless, young or middle-aged.

Myth: Some people don’t feel well after they get the flu shot.
Fact: Some people do feel a little achy or are sore in the area where they received the shot. These symptoms are generally mild and usually go away in a day or 2. They are not symptoms of influenza infection.

Myth: I can prevent the flu with vitamins and herbal remedies.
Fact: Vitamins, and herbal remedies such as echinacea are ineffective in preventing the flu. The best precaution is still the flu vaccine. 

Myth: The flu isn’t that serious – it’s like a bad cold.
Fact: Getting the flu is more severe than having a bad cold. Symptoms of the flu can include high fever, headache, tiredness, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, diarrhea and vomiting.

Myth: I’m pregnant, so I should not get the flu shot.
Fact: Pregnant women who get the flu can have serious complications, which is why the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the flu shot for women in any stage of pregnancy. The flu shot has not been shown to cause harm to pregnant women or their unborn children.

Myth: Covering my mouth with my hands when I cough or sneeze helps prevent the spread of the flu.
Fact: Coughing or sneezing into your hands contaminates them. Then if you touch something, you transfer your germs to that surface. Use a tissue or the inside of your arm to cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.

Myth: I don’t need a flu shot now, I can get it later during the flu season.
Fact: Yearly flu shots begin in September and continue through January. However, the CDC recommends getting the flu shot earlier in the season – by October or November – so that you are protected before flu illness peaks in January.